Mark I. Greene, MD, PhD, FRCP
John Eckman Professor of Medical Science, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Dr. Greene's laboratory has studied the activity of small molecules they designed that bind to erbB receptor complexes that are causative for human breast cancer. This new class of compounds reverses the malignant properties of human tumor cells. The molecules induce structural changes of the receptors disabling formation of complexes that cause malignancy. Disabling of these transforming complexes allows the malignant cells to become more normal and leads to reduced human tumor growth in laboratory models of breast cancer. In the coming year, they will continue these studies aimed at laying a foundation that will enable them to move forward in developing orally viable drugs for breast cancer.