University of Colorado Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics

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James DeGregori, PhD

Professor

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Director of Molecular Biology

Contact Information:

Phone: (303) 724-3230
E-mail: James.Degregori@ucdenver.edu

Tour the DeGregori Lab

Graduate Program Memberships

Molecular Biology
Cancer Biology
Immunology
MSTP
BSP

My lab primarily works with mouse models, and we frequently use gene knock-out mice and retroviral models of leukemogenesis. Studies to better understand the conditions that foster the initiation of leukemias and lymphomas are currently a major thrust of the lab. We have developed an evolutionary based model for cancer development, Adaptive Oncogenesis. We are currently exploring how reduced progenitor cellular fitness resulting from carcinogen exposure, irradiation, inadequate diet or aging can select for adaptive oncogenic events and thereby promote the expansion and fixation of oncogenically initiated cells. While current views of carcinogenesis focus on oncogenic mutations as the limiting step, our studies support a novel rationale for links between tumorigenesis and carcinogenic contexts: these contexts may promote the clonal expansion of cells bearing particular initiating events, in part by reducing progenitor pool fitness which selects for adaptive oncogenic mutations.

Other studies in the lab are geared towards the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat leukemias and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). We perform genome-wide loss-of-function screens using RNA interference (RNAi) to identify genes whose inhibition will synergize with current targeted therapeutics to eliminate cancer cells. Our screens have identified a number of genes that synergistically inhibit chronic myelogenous and acute myelogenous leukemia cells, as well as NSCLC cells, in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and these genes have been validated as therapeutic targets by using both pharmacological and genetic approaches. These studies could lead to discovery of adjuvants to current therapies that will more effectively treat or possibly even cure common malignancies.

Current Lab Colleagues

Results From Research : Selected site and subsites

Last Name	First Name	Job Tittle	Email	Bio Page
Adane	Biniam	Professional Research Assistant	Biniam.Adane@ucdenver.edu	View Bio
Alvarez-Calderon	Fransesca	Graduate Student	Francesca.Alvarez-calderon@UCDenver.edu	View Bio
Casas Selves	Matias	Postdoctoral Fellow	Matias.Casas@UCDenver.edu	View Bio
Fleenor	Courtney	Graduate Student	Courtney.Fleenor@UCDenver.edu	View Bio
Gemta	Lelisa	Professional Research Assistant	Lelisa.Gemta@Ucdenver.edu	View Bio
Gregory	Mark	Research Instructor	Mark.Gregory@UCDenver.edu	View Bio
Henry	Curtis	Postdoctoral Fellow	Curtis.Henry@UCDenver.edu	View Bio
Salstrom	Jennifer	Postdoctoral Fellow	Jennifer.Salstrom@UCDenver.edu	View Bio
Zaberezhnyy	Vadym	Professional Research Assistant	Vadym.Zaberezhnyy@UCDenver.edu	View Bio

Casas-Selves, M., and DeGregori, J. (2011). How cancer shapes evolution, and how evolution shapes cancer. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 4:624–634. Publication PDF

Aging-Associated Changes in Hematopoiesis and Leukemogenesis: What's the Connection?

Henry CJ, Marusyk A, Degregori

J.Aging (Albany NY). 2011 Jun;3(6):643-56. Publication PDF

Evolved tumor suppression: why are we so good at not getting cancer?

DeGregori

J. Cancer Res. 2011 Jun 1;71(11):3739-44. Epub 2011 May 24.

A new role for E2F1 in DNA repair: All for the greater good.

Degregori J.

Cell Cycle. 2011 Jun 1;10(11):1719-8. Epub 2011 Jun 1.

Relative fitness of hematopoietic progenitors influences leukemia progression.

Porter CC, Baturin D, Choudhary R, DeGregori.

J. Leukemia. 2011 May;25(5):891-5. Epub 2011 Feb 18. No abstract available