Labs

Ferrer Lab 

The Ferrer Lab at the University of Maryland Baltimore and the Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center studies the ability of cancer cells to initiate, disseminate and metastasize. Our mission is to advance the understanding of metastatic pancreatic cancer and develop new therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes. 

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Martin Lab 

The Martin lab focuses on identifying molecular mechanisms that enable metastatic breast tumor cells to travel through non-adherent environments, such as the bloodstream or lymphatics. Our previous work identified unique microtentacles on the surface of circulating breast tumor cells that promote reattachment in distant tissues. Combining bioengineering and tumor cell biology, we investigate mechanisms regulating microtentacles, apoptosis and mechanotransduction in epithelial tumor cells to help identify new therapies to reduce metastasis. 

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Mathur Lab 

The primary focus of the lab is to understand how neural macro- and microcircuits control action learning and selection under normal and pathophysiological conditions. We combine neuroanatomical methods with genetic, optogenetic, in vivo calcium imaging, animal behavior, and slice electrophysiology to define both neural circuit form and function. We employ mouse models of alcohol use disorder to determine how specific neural circuits are affected by pathological states with a focus on restoring normal circuit function and, therefore, behavior. 

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McCarthy Lab 

The research laboratory of Margaret McCarthy, PhD aims to understand the origins and mechanisms of sex differences in the brain. Sexual differentiation of the brain is a developmental process whereby physiological and behavioral phenotypes are modified to match gonadal phenotype to ensure reproductive success. 

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Mong Lab 

A primary focus of my research is the study of mechanisms underlying the ovarian steroid control of sleep and arousal systems. Jessica A. Mong, PhD, laboratory uses a multidisciplinary approach, which combines behavioral, cellular and molecular and functional neuroanatomical techniques. 

Njar Lab

Dr. Vincent C. O. Njar has a long-standing interest in the rational discovery and development of small molecules as anti-cancer agents. The major objective of his current research is to design, synthesize, and evaluate novel patentable compounds in suitable model systems with potentials to prevent and/or treat breast and prostate cancers. Dr. Njar is also interested in understanding mechanisms of anti-cancer actions of the novel agents. 

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Poulopoulos Lab

The goal of our group is to understand the in vivo mechanisms that determine circuit formation in development and circuit remodeling in adulthood; to discover how these processes deviate to alter brain circuits in neurodevelopmental conditions and mental illness; and to develop the knowhow and methodologies that may allow therapeutic intervention for the regeneration of circuits lost to disease or trauma. 

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Qiu Lab

Yun Qiu, PhD, laboratory studies molecular mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance in prostate cancer, with focuses on understanding the functions of protein kinases (SRC, ETK/BMX and PIM-1), nuclear receptor (androgen receptor and its splicing variants), and ubiquitin E3 ligase (RNF6). 

Wolff Lab

The Wolff Lab studies how distributed neuronal networks underlie complex learning processes, using motor skill learning in rats as our model. 

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Yu Lab

Our lab researches the mechanism of cancer metastasis, the major cause of cancer-related death. Distant metastasis is mostly initiated by tumor cells shed from the primary tumor into the blood circulation, known as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which are carried to distant organs where metastatic tumors eventually arise. By studying CTCs isolated from breast cancer patients and mouse models, using approaches of molecular and cellular biology, single cell tracing, and modeling in animals, we strive to gain a better understanding of the metastasis-initiating properties in CTCs and obtain novel insights on how to target those rare populations. 

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