Kris Lofgren

E-mail: lofgr048@umn.edu

Thesis Advisor: Carol Lange

Year entered: 2005

Degrees received:
B.S., Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 2002

Honors and awards:

• Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, Pre-doctoral Fellowship 2006-2009

• AACR Smuckler Memorial Pathobiology of Cancer Workshop Participant, July 2008
  

Thesis research:
Elevated tyrosine kinase activity is frequently found in breast malignancies, and is correlated with poor prognosis and decreased disease-free survival. Breast tumor kinase (Brk/ptk6) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that could contribute to this effect, as it is expressed in 85% of human breast tumors, but is not dectected in normal breast tissue. We have identified Erk5 and p38 as mediators for heregulin-induced, Brk mediated migration and proliferation in breast cancer cell lines. Using non-malignant mammary epithelial cell lines (HMEC and MCF10A) engineered to express Brk, I will establish a 3D culture system to investigate Brk mediated signaling and biology. Using a mammary gland specific, inducible Brk-transgenic mouse, I am also characterizing the effects of Brk expression on in vivo mammary gland biology.

Publications:

• Ostrander, J.H., Daniel, A.R., Lofgren, K., Kleer, C.G. and Lange, C.A. 2007. Breast tumor kinase (protein tyrosine kinase 6) regulates heregulin-induced activation of ERK5 and p38 MAP kinases in breast cancer cells. Cancer Research 67(9):4199-209.