Marcus Laboratory
Tumor Escape And Metastasis Group (TEAM)
Center for Advancing Health & Diversity through Citizen Science
Cancer Cell Biology
Our Tumor Escape and Metastasis (TEAM) group is focused on the biology and therapeutic targeting of lung cancer metastasis. We develop novel image-guided genetic technologies to understand intra-tumor heterogeneity. Our work can be viewed as “clinical cell biology”, where we address questions in the clinic using translational cell biology approaches.
We are hiring for 2 positions! A post-doctoral fellow and research scientist.
Email aimarcu@emory.edu if interested
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Mechanisms and targeting of cancer cell metastasis
This work is on the tumor suppressor protein and epithelial signaling protein, LKB1. This serine/threonine kinase is mutated in 20-30% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. There are currently no targeted therapies for patients with LKB1 mutations and the functional significance of LKB1 loss in lung cancer metastasis remains obscure. This work incorporates genetically engineered mouse models, ex vivo imaging, live cell imaging, and molecular biology studies. This work is funded by the NCI.
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Image guided genomics to study intra-tumor heterogeneity
We developed a new image-guided genomics approach to precisely isolate any living cell(s) of interest for functional genomic analysis, a technique we term Spatiotemporal Genomic Analysis (SAGA). We used SAGA to 1) dissect the molecular and genomic profiles of collective invasion packs to perform the first genomic analysis comparing the expression profile of invasive leader cells to follower cells 2) select, amplify, and maintain the purified leader and follower cell lines, which now gives us virtually unlimited quantities of rare invading cell types. This work is funded by the NCI. Video summary
A unique arm of our laboratory is focused on STEM K-12 Outreach. I founded a K-12 outreach program that has visited over 35 Georgia schools, and over 3,000 students. This program brings microscopes to classrooms with the goals of increasing diversity and critical thinking using a microscope-based curriculum. Recently, this work was funded through an NIH R25 (RO1 size award) from the NIH Director’s office where I serve as PI of this multi-PI award. This grant establishes the Center for Advancing Health and Diversity through Citizen Science. It greatly expands the program and includes public health outcomes research, teacher training, outreach programs, and citizen science in classrooms. See Citizen Science HD for details
STEM K-12 Outreach
Citizen Science HD
Recent News
10-2021 Janna receives NCI R50 award
6-2020 Emily and Janna's paper published in Science Advances
3-2020 Rachel's paper published in Nature Communications
2-2020 Brian's paper published in Cancer
10-2019 Brian's co-first author paper published in the J. of Cell Science
3-2019 Study on alexidine and analogs wins Emory Innovation of the Year
9-2017 Announcement about Adam's position as the new Associate Director for Basic Research and Shared Resources at the Winship Cancer Institute
9-2017 Liza Burton receives diversity supplement to our RO1 from the NCI
5-2017 Jessica's and Emily's paper is published; Press release #1, #2
4-2017 Article about the technology we are developing at Emory
12-20 Article about our lung cancer research
11-20 Adam received Atlanta 40under40 award
9-2016 Adam receives Emory GDBBS Faculty Mentor of the Year Award
9-2016 Jessica receives Bill Rice Cancer Biology Award
8-2016 Scott successfully defends his work on LKB1
8-2016 Sytems biology NCI grant with Yale
7-2016 Graduate Student, Emily Summerbell has received an F31 NRSA from the NCI!
6-2016 Our new K-12 STEM award supported by the NIH SEPA program in partnership with the ACTSI
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