Our faculty is committed to upholding one of the University’s longest and deepest held philosophies surrounding our academic environment, The Wisconsin Idea. The Wisconsin Idea signifies the guiding principal: that the University’s beneficial influences must expand to people’s lives beyond the boundararies of the classroom and campus. This Idea has become the guiding philosophy of our research and training efforts and has propelled our long history of research and training excellence. We have internationally recognized researchers in Cancer Virology, Cancer Genetics, and Tumor Biology.
Our faculty’s laboratories are housed in new buildings with state-of-the art research and support facilities to carry out their research. Our administrative offices are located on the 6th floor/Tower II of Wisconsin Institute of Medical Research (WIMR), 1111 Highland Ave. The Wisconsin Institute of Medical Research Towers I & II for clinical and translation research were designed to allow researchers to work with scientists from other disciplines, speeding the transfer of science to clinicians working in the adjacent UW Hospital and the American Family’s Children’s Hospital.
Research Areas at McArdle
Cancer genetics and eEpigenetic Mechanisms pursues basic and translational research to discover novel cancer genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, to translate mechanistic insights derived principally from mouse models and primary human cancer samples to human cancer, and to leverage the mechanistic insights to advance cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Cancer genetics and epigenetics are central to the research of Drs. Christopher Bradfield, Aussie Suzuki, Beth Weaver, Wei Xu, and Jing Zhang. The scientific basis of these studies arises from the fact that cancer is a genetic disease encompassing both germline and somatic genetics. Current areas of research include:
- Mouse and rat models to study basic and translational aspects of colon cancer. These efforts include biomarker development as well as advanced imaging applications. A recent advance is an Apc-mutant rat model that enhances the modeling of familial human colon cancer.
- Mouse models to identify genes predisposing individuals to the risk of developing liver and pancreatic cancer. The liver work focuses on the interaction of genetics and hormonal exposure in the etiology of hepatic carcinoma.
- Rat models to study the etiology and prevention of breast cancer. These studies integrate genetic studies in the rat with studies of human DNA from epidemiology-linked breast cancer case-control studies. For example, studies on the Rat Mcs5a quantitative trait locus led to the identification of an orthologous human locus associated with breast cancer risk.
- Mouse models to study environmental xenobiotics.
- Epigenetic transcriptional control of breast cancer. This work specifically focuses on histone H3 methylation by CARM1 and activation of the estrogen receptor.
- Mouse models for hematopoietic cancers and the study of genetic changes that alter the balance in growth versus differentiation properties o fhematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and their progeny lead to these cancers.
- State of the art microscopy methods and drug studies to define molecular signals and cellular machinery that determine accurate division of cellular chromosomes during mitosis and consequences of mistakes in these processes leading to aneuploidy and its effect on cancer.
- Defining the role of epigenetic dysregulation in cancer.
Tumor biology includes research groups working on aspects of cell biology, stem cells, transcriptional regulation and protein structure relevant to cell growth regulation, differentiation and cancer.
Tumor biology includes research groups working on aspects of cell biology, stem cells, transcriptional regulation and protein structure relevant to cell growth regulation, differentiation and cancer. McArdle faculty with research interests focused on these areas of tumor biology are: Drs. Christopher Bradfield, Dustin Deming, William Fahl, Shigeki Miyamoto, Yongna Xing, Wei Xu, and Jing Zhang. Current areas of research include:
- Roles of estrogen receptors, estrogen-related receptors and post-transcriptional mechanisms of estrogen receptor in breast cancer.
- Oncogenic pathways and modifiers of breast cancer cell behavior including TGFβ, the RNA binding protein CRD-BP, Ras, neu, and Wnt signaling.
- Structural biology of protein phosphatase 2A and other molecular targets in cancer cells.
- Roles of hematopoietic stem cells and Ras signaling in mouse models of leukemia.
- Effects of carcinogen exposure and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.
- Development of chemoprotective molecules for alleviating side-effects of chemotherapy.
- Defining new approaches to targeting estrogen receptor in recurrent, metastatic breast cancer.
- Lipid metobolism/deposition in the skin and its role in cancer and meta “bolic homeostasis”.
- Studies of NFkappaB signaling in cancer and immunology.
- Use of 3-dimensional cultures to test patient’s tumor’s response to targeted therapy– a new pathway to precision medicine.
Human tumor viruses are causally associated with over 15% of all human cancers and are likely to contribute to additional cancers. Recent research in our program and elsewhere clearly demonstrates that, for many virus-associated cancers, viral gene functions are required both for tumor development and also for continued survival of malignant cells. Thus, inhibiting tumor virus infection, replication and maintenance, and/or selected viral oncogenic functions can prevent or cure many of these cancers.
Tumor virology is represented by Drs. Paul Ahlquist, Eric Johannsen, Robert Kalejta, Shannon Kenney, Paul Lambert, Dan Loeb, Nate Sherer, Megan Spurgeon, and Bill Sugden. The strong motivation for this program is that viruses are now known to cause at least 15%-20% of human tumors, and are widely suspected in additional cancers. In many or most of these cases, viral gene functions not only contribute to tumor development, but also are required for continuing survival of the final malignant tumor. Thus, interfering with virus infection or viral functions could prevent or cure many cancers. Current areas of research include:
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
- Studies on the replication and partitioning of EBV DNAs between dividing cells, EBV control of cell proliferation, and the interaction of EBV viral and cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) with infection and oncogenesis.
- Studies on EBV latent infection and lytic reactivation, including the roles of viral DNA methylation and host proteins in these processes. Recent work showed that cellular Hsp90 is required for normal expression of EBNA2, an important EBV-transforming protein.
- Developing treatments for EBV-associated tumors based on reactivation of lytic EBV replication and/or inhibiting EBV functions required for viral maintenance, cell survival and proliferation
Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus (KSHV)
- Studies on viral DNA partitioning required to maintain the latent infections associated with tumorigenicity.
Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV)
- Studies on latent and lytic herpesvirus replication. Recent work has shown that HCMV modulates cellular Rb function in part through a viral kinase that acts as a hyperactive ortholog of cellular cyclin-dependent kinases.
Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs)
- Studies on the pathways and mechanisms of HPV infection, maintenance, and oncogenesis.
- Specific roles of viral oncogenes, cell genes and hormones in HPV-associated oncogenesis in different tissues. Recent studies show that p53 loss synergizes with estrogen and papillomaviral oncogenes to induce cervical and breast cancers.
- Fundamental differences in cell cycle deregulation in human papillomavirus-positive and -negative head/neck and cervical cancers.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
- Studies on the molecular processes by which the virus maintains its genome and chronic infections that lead to progressive liver damage and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
- Studies on the molecular processes by which the virus maintains its genome and chronic infections that lead to progressive liver damage and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Laboratories at McArdle
Ahlquist Lab
We are studying the novel, RNA-based pathways and virus-host interactions underlying replication, gene expression and evolution by positive-strand RNA viruses, the largest class of viruses.
Paul Ahlquist
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
ahlquist
Phone: (608) 263-5916, (608) 265-9213
Address:
841A Robert M. Bock Laboratories
Bradfield Lab
Our laboratory is interested in a family of transcriptional regulators known as PAS proteins.
Christopher Bradfield
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
bradfield
Phone: 608-262-2024
Address:
213A McArdle Laboratory Building
Churpek Lab
Our lab is focused on defining the contribution of rare genetic variation to risk of blood disorders and cancer.
Jane Churpek
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
jchurpek
Address:
600 Highland Ave
Madison WI 53792-3284
Rachel Kirchner
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
rekirchner2
Deming Lab
Our laboratory is investigating kinase modulation of cellular signaling pathways driven by oncogenic mutant proteins
Somak Chaudhuri
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cancer Biology
Email:
somak.chaudhuri
Dustin Deming
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
ddeming
Phone: (608) 265-1042
Address:
6507 WI Institute Medical Research
Dinh Lab
Our goal is to understand how tumor immune microenvironment changes toward finding immunotherapeutic biomarkers and targets.
Huy Dinh
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
huy.dinh
Phone: (608) 263-2890
Address:
1111 Highland Ave
Madison, WI 53705
Anqi Gao
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Medical Scientist Training Program
Email:
agao9
Parth Khatri
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Biomedical Data Sciences MS
Email:
pkhatri
Sumedha Sanjeev
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Biomedical Data Sciences MS
Email:
srsanjeev
Johannsen Lab
Our research focuses on the molecular biology of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear proteins, their role in the virus lifecycle and the pathogenesis of EBV associated malignancies.
Eric Johannsen
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
ejohannsen
Phone: (608) 262-9952
Address:
6531 WI Institute for Medical Research
Mariah Riel
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program
Email:
mariah.riel
Kalejta Lab
Our lab focuses on determining the mechanisms of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication and pathogenesis, and also uses the virus as a tool to probe the pathways that lead to cell cycle progression and oncogenesis.
Rob Kalejta
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
rfkalejta
Phone: (608) 265-5546, (608) 265-5390
Address:
641 A Robert A. Bock Laboratories
Esther Wisdom
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program
Email:
ewisdom
Kenney Lab
Our lab focused upon understanding the molecular regulation and pathogenesis of the human herpesvirus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
Shannon Kenney
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
skenney
Phone: (608) 265-0533, (608) 261-1196
Address:
1111 Highland Ave
Madison, WI 53705
Lambert Lab
Our lab’s research is focused on understanding the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cancer.
Paul Lambert
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
lambert
Phone: (608) 262-8533, (608) 262-6407
Address:
6459 WI Institutes for Medical Research
Loeb Lab
We are studying the mechanisms of RNA encapsidation, initiation and synthesis of minus-strand DNA, initiation and synthesis of plus-strand DNA, and genome circularization during plus-strand DNA synthesis.
Stephen Darodda
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Pathology
Email:
darodda
Dan Loeb
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
loeb
Phone: (608) 262-1260
Address:
6453 WI Institutes for Medical Research
Majumder Lab
We study how viruses localize to cellular sites on the host genome to establish infection by hijacking the cell’s replication and repair machinery.
Rhiannon Abrahams
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program
Email:
rrabrahams
Clairine Larsen
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
cilarsen
Kinjal Majumder
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
kmajumder
Phone: (608) 262-6386
Address:
741A RM Bock Labs
Asha Rustad
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Training Program
Email:
aerustad
Monnette Summers
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
mfvillarreal
Miyamoto Lab
Our lab has pursued a variety of research interests centered around cell signaling and asked “what happens when cells are no longer able to communicate effectively?”
Shigeki Miyamoto
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
smiyamot
Phone: (608) 262-9281
Sherer Lab
Our group is interested in the cell biology underlying the assembly and spread of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the etiological agent causing the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Lauren Kelly
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
lkkelly2
Nate Sherer
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
nsherer
Phone: (608) 890-2551
Address:
509A Robert A. Bock Laboratories
Kerry Smith
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Email:
kasmith35
Spurgeon Lab
The Spurgeon Lab studies two different small DNA tumor viruses: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and human papillomaviruses (HPVs).
Christopher Collins, PhD
Credentials: Spurgeon Lab
Position title: Postdoctoratal Research Associate
Email:
ccollins
Phone: (360) 865-7460
Tejas Sabu
Credentials: Spurgeon Lab
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cancer Biology
Email:
tsabu
Chloe Schiff
Credentials: Spurgeon Lab
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
csschiff
Megan Spurgeon
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
megan.spurgeon
Phone: (608) 316-3999
Address:
Morgridge Institute for Research
330 N Orchard St
Madison, WI 53715
Sugden Lab
Our research focuses on two facets of EBV pivotal to its inducing and maintaining human tumors.
Beniah Brumbaugh
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Pathology
Email:
bbrumbaugh
Isabela Fraga de Andrade, PhD
Position title: Research Associate
Pronouns: Postdoctoral Trainee
Email:
fragadeandra
Phone: (608) 770-4323
Caitlin O'Donnell
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Bacteriology M.S.
Email:
csodonnell
Bill Sugden
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
sugden
Phone: (608) 262-1116
Address:
6555 WI Institutes for Medical Research
Suzuki Lab
Our lab focuses on discovering the molecular mechanisms underlying force production, mitotic checkpoint control, and error correction in accurate cell division.
Yu-Chia Chen
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Email:
chen988
Aussie Suzuki
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
aussie.suzuki
Phone: (608) 262-1686
Address:
6459 WI Institute Medical Research
Weaver Lab
Our lab is determining the consequences of mitotic defects on tumor initiation, progression and response to chemotherapy,
Caleb Carlsen
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
clcarlsen
Boya Chen
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Email:
bchen384
Christina Firl
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
firl
Daniel Sam
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
dksam
Beth Weaver
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
baweaver
Phone: (608) 263-5309
Address:
6109 WI Institute of Medical Research
Xing Lab
Our lab studies elucidation of signaling pathways related to cancer using multi-disciplinary biophysics and biochemical approaches, including structural biology and proteomics, in combination with cell biology.
Xueling Ding
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Comparative Biomedical Sciences
Email:
xding73
Yongna Xing
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
xing
Phone: (608) 262-8376, (608) 262-1989
Address:
6451 WI Institute for Medical Research
Xu Lab
Our lab focuses on the transcriptional regulation of estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathways by nuclear receptor co-factors.
Mia Corradi
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Email:
mcorradi
Kasey Mitchell
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Training Program
Email:
kmitchell4
Wei Xu
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
wxu
Phone: (608) 265-5540, (608) 262-9834
Address:
7459 WI Institutes for Medical Research
Jingjing Zhou
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
jzhou462
Zhang Lab
Our lab focuses on studying the mechanisms underlying the normal as well as oncogenic self-renewal of stem cells using the hematopoietic compartment as a model system.
Jacqueline Cook
Position title: Graduate Student
Pronouns: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Email:
jacook6
Jing Zhang
Position title: Principal Investigator
Email:
zhang
Phone: (608) 263-1147, (608) 263-1150
Address:
7453 WI Institutes for Medical Research
Research Training Opportunities at McArdle
Cancer Biology and Other Biomedical Graduate Programs
Our Cancer Biology Graduate Program, along with other biomedical sciences PhD programs, are at the center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s cancer research. Our goal is to train graduate students to become committed cancer researchers working as scholars and researchers to advance cancer research and treatment.
Training in laboratory research is guided by our faculty who are the one-on-one mentors for our students. The experience and commitment of our faculty to mentoring is essential to the success of our students.
Our PhD graduates obtain full-time employment immediately after graduation, pursuing advanced training in academic postdoctoral positions or in industry.
Oncology 699/Undergraduate Research (Fall and Spring Semesters)
Undergraduate students in our laboratories gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge cancer laboratories (ONC 699).
Postdoctoral Research Opportunities
Our postdoctoral trainees come from a wide variety of excellent graduate programs in the biological sciences. We encourage current graduate students to contact one or more of our faculty before they complete their graduate studies to find out more information about our postdoctoral training program.
Undergraduate Summer Research Opportunities
UW-Madison’s Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) is designed to provide an immersive research experience to undergraduate students interested in graduate study in the biomedical sciences. Interns complete 10 weeks full-time laboratory research, attend research seminars on current topics, and give scientific presentations to their peers and mentors. Interns also receive training in responsible conduct of research, laboratory safety, and presentation skills. Additionally, interns are invited to attend career counseling sessions in which faculty and program administrators discuss graduate school and career opportunities for biomedical scientists.