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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Signal Transduction and Cancer

The Training Program in Signal Transduction and Cancer enables four postdoctoral fellows per year to receive state-of-the-art training in signal transduction pathways and the role of aberrant signaling pathways in human cancer. Trainees receive two years of funding to conduct research to investigate the mechanism by which cytokines, growth factors and receptors control cell fate, transformation, metastasis and cell growth. This training program's preceptors are well-established Northwestern University investigators with NIH-funded research programs on either the Evanston or Chicago campuses.

In addition to laboratory research, the program includes an educational curriculum:

  • Mini Series on Signaling in Cancer
  • Core Competencies in Presentation Skills, Communication, Grant Writing
  • Cancer Research Journal Club
  • Annual presentations
  • Responsible Conduct of Research
The Training Program in Signal Transduction and Cancer is funded by the National Cancer Institute as an Institutional National Research Award (NRSA T32). In addition to the NRSA stipend, trainees receive an allocation for supplies, travel and health insurance. For information, contact Robin Leikin, PhD.

Program Directors

Leonidas C. Platanias, MD, PhD
Program Director
Professor, Department of Medicine
Director, Lurie Cancer Center
Signal transduction molecules

Marcus Peter, PhD
Co-Director
Professor, Department of Medicine
Micro RNAs in cancer progression

Robin Leikin, PhD
Administrative Director
Research Assistant Professor, Lurie Cancer Center

Program Faculty

Junior Preceptors

Jason Miska, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
Metabolism and immune suppression in glioblastoma

Adam Sonabend, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery
Signaling pathways and novel immunotherapy for brain tumors

Marie Pier Tetreault, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Inflammatory signaling pathways in esophageal cancer

Current Trainees