Marina's paper has been accepted for publication in FASEB Journal! This paper demonstrates that biochemical cues from astrocytes from the brain microenvironment affect the migration, morphology, and cytoskeletal organization of metastatic breast tumor cells. We also show that this effect is enhanced when the cells' extracellular matrix is treated with astrocyte-secreted factors, in comparison with direct treatment of the cells, suggesting that the phenotypic effects of astrocytes on breast tumor cells is also mediated through alteration of the cells' extracellular matrix and/or in signaling via tumor cell adhesion receptors.

This work was done in collaboration with Dr. Herb Geller's lab at the NIH/NHLBI. Other co-authors include Dr. Caitlin Mencio (postdoc in the Geller lab), Jack Siglin (undergraduate student in Stroka lab), and Rebecca Moriarty (graduate student in Stroka lab). Congrats to all authors!

To read the paper, click here.

Kelsey Gray, Marina Shumakovich, and Mary Doolin were all selected to present at the upcoming BMES meeting in Phoenix, AZ! Dr. Stroka will also be chairing 2 platform sessions. See you in Arizona!