Area of research
Oncology · Immunology
Research interest
for the Zhang Lab: h2]:mb-0"> Mechanisms Underlying Dormancy, Evolution and Outgrowth of Bone Micrometastases One of the major objectives of the Zhang Laboratory is to elucidate biological mechanisms underlying breast cancer metastasis, and design therapeutic strategies accordingly. The majority of breast cancer patients do not have detectable metastases when first presented in the clinic. Primary tumors are removed soon after diagnosis, leaving patients “disease-free” usually for years to decades. However, in many cases tumors will recur to distant organs, suggesting that dormant or indolent microscopic metastases (micrometastases) persist after surgeries and adjuvant therapies. Thus the important questions of how to recognize patients carrying these micrometastases and how to prevent the