Olga Volpert, PhD Academic Title: Associate Professor, Urology; Feinberg School of Medicine Member of: TRIST-Prostate/Genitourinary Cancers,Tumor Invasion, Metastasis & Angiogenesis Email: olgavolp@northwestern.edu Publications:(65) View Publications Listing Cancer Focused Research:
Dr. Volpert's main area of study focuses on the molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis, the process by which new vascular bed forms. Her studies are focused (1) molecular mechanisms of action of the natural inhibitors of angiogenesis; (2) Anti-angiogenic peptides for the therapy of cancer and other angiogenesis-dependent disease including macular degeneration; (3) micro RNA controlling angiogenesis and their targets. Her recent findings include identification of short anti-angiogenic peptide active for the treatment of melanoma and renal cancer derived form the natural angiogenic inhibitor, pigment epithelial derived factor. In addition, she has demonstrated that pigment-epithelial-derived factor suppresses melanoma metastases by blocking amoeboid mode of cell motility. Her other important finding implicates microRNA miR-27b in the regulation of angiogenic balance. miR-27b blocks the expression of two negative regulators of angiogenesis, Notch ligand Dll4 and Sprouty-2.