Defining and targeting mechanisms of resistance to cancer therapy
The primary focus of the Gutierrez lab is to define the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to cancer therapies, and to translate these findings into novel therapeutic strategies. A recurrent theme emerging from our studies is that tumor cells can develop chemotherapy resistance via mechanisms that are non-overlapping with those that allow normal cells to tolerate these drugs, as exemplified by our recent work in asparaginase resistance (Figure) . Such mechanisms provide ideal targets for therapeutic intervention. In our view, this concept has considerable untapped potential to yield transformative advances in cancer therapeutics.