Hoon Ki Sung, PhD, Associate Scietist - (sung<at>lunenfeld.ca)
My projects in Nagy lab are
1) role of VEGF in physiological and pathological condition, and
2) enhanced generation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and induced
pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). 1) New vessel formation is critical
process for development as well as for pathological conditions
such as cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) is
the most potent endothelial specific angiogenic molecule. VEGF
also has a crucial role in tumor growth as growing tissues need
blood and oxygen supply for its survival and expansion. Targeting
VEGF pathway therefore has become one of new therapeutic modality
for cure cancer. Despite therapeutic outcome, benefit of VEGF inhibition
confronts two major issues such as drug resistance and adverse
effects. To understand mechanism for these, we are using transgenic
mouse models as well as pharmacological approach to modulate VEGF
pathway. 2) Generation of stem cell promise future cell-based therapy,
however the number of source cells is one of the limiting factors.
We are trying to develop new technology for enhancing generation
of HSCs or iPSc by using the cytokine (stem cell factor) or increased
efficiency of somatic cell reprogramming, respectively.