Dr. Jiyoung Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the George Washington University. After her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Korea University, Dr. Lee obtained her Ph.D. degree in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her post-doctoral training in the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago. Dr. Lee’s research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanism by which metastasis regulators modify gene expression and functional phenotypes including tumorigenesis, metastasis, and metabolism in breast cancer.
Dr. Lee’s lab is searching for a highly motivated and talented postdoc fellow who can work breast cancer research at the George Washington University. Please contact jiyounglee@gwu.edu
Research
Transformed cells adapt metabolism in the microenvironment that has limited nutrients and oxygen to support rapid growth of cancer cells, thus exhibiting distinct metabolic features. Cancer metabolism has been a focus for cancer drug development as well as diagnostics. Cancer therapeutics targeting metabolism is particularly attractive for the patients who have limited treatment options. Dr. Lee’s lab is interested in understanding altered metabolic signatures during tumorigenesis including cancer growth and metastasis, and its underlying signaling network using multiple breast cancer models. Her research questions are; (1) what are the cancer intrinsic molecules that regulate metabolism to support tumor growth? (2) how does cancer cells modify metabolism to the extrinsic factors (environmental factors such as nutrients, oxygen levels, or immune cells) for tumorigenesis? (3) what is the impact of tumor metabolism on cancer metastasis? Identification of a novel prognostic and predictive markers and effective therapeutics targeting metabolic pathways to cure cancers will be the ultimate goal of our research.
Visit the Lee Lab Website