Albert J. Fornace Jr. Research Group

Georgetown University

How do mammalian cells detect and respond to genotoxic and environmental stresses to influence cancer risk and injury? The laboratory investigates mammalian stress responses and signaling networks activated after ionizing radiation and chemical insults, focusing on GADD gene family roles in DNA-damage responses. Researchers examine p38 MAP kinase and Wip1 phosphatase signaling to understand links between stress signaling, tumor suppression, and oncogenic processes. The group develops transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches to identify biomarkers of radiation exposure and injury for applications in radiobiology and molecular toxicology. They study space-radiation effects on gastrointestinal cancer risk through a NASA-supported NSCOR program and related metabolomic profiling projects.