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Personal History
Education
- 1993: M.Sc., M.G. University, Kerala
- 1996: M.Phil., University of Kerala
- 2000: Ph.D., University of Kerala
- 2000-2001: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Canada
- 2001-2004: Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD.
- 2004-2006: Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD.
Research Interests
Growing evidence suggests that cancer stem cells serve as the source for the heterogeneous cell populations found in solid-organ tumors. Dr. Varghese's research focuses on cancer stem cell biology; particularly the mechanisms responsible for self-renewal and differentiation of cancer stem cells in solid-organ tumors.
We have demonstrated in abdominal cancers that cell proliferation and differentiation of cancer stem cells into endothelial lineage is important for tumor initiation and progression. Our efforts are directed toward understanding the nature and function of genes that regulate the process of self-renewal and differentiation in cancer stem cells and how various gene networks contribute to cancer progression. Utilizing innovative combinations of in vitro techniques for transcriptional profiling, cell culture-based assays, proteomics as well as in vivo xenotransplantation experiments our studies are targeted towards providing new insights into mechanisms of tumor progression in human cancers.
Asymmetric cancer stem cell division
Publications
Varghese S, Burness M, Xu H, Beresnev T, Pingpank J, Alexander HR. Site-specific gene expression profiles and novel molecular prognostic factors in patients with lower gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma diffusely metastatic to liver or peritoneum. Ann Surg Oncol. 2007;14(12):3460-71.
Varghese S, Xu H, Bartlett D, Hughes M, Pingpank JF, Beresnev T, Alexander HR Jr. Isolated hepatic perfusion with high-dose melphalan results in immediate alterations in tumor gene expression in patients with metastatic ocular melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2010;17(7):1870-7.
Varghese S, Chen Z, Bartlett DL, Pingpank JF, Libutti SK, Steinberg SM, Wunderlich J, Alexander HR Jr. Activation of the phosphoinositide- 3-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathways are associated with shortened survival in patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Cancer. 2011;117(2):361-71.
Varghese S, Whipple R, Martin SS, Alexander HR. Multipotent cancer stem cells derived from human malignant peritoneal mesothelioma promote tumorigenesis. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e52825.