NFCR science director Sujuan Ba, Ph.D., added, "Chemotherapy today remains the most used technique for battling cancer and Dr. Lowe is on the front lines of this research. His research in the genetic understanding of cellular life and death is exactly what will allow us to continue to make gains in how cancer is treated, diagnosed and eventually defeated."

Lowe's early research focused on the relationship between p53 gene mutation status and the resistance of cancer cells to radiation and chemotherapy. Currently, he and his colleagues are beginning to assemble the genetic components of the p53 pathway into a tumor suppressor network, with the intent of discovering how oncogenes or DNA damaging agents signal p53, how p53 responds biologically, and the factors that influence whether p53 induces a cell-cycle checkpoint, senescence or apoptosis. He has also employed mouse models for human cancer, such as the Em-myc oncogene-induced lymphoma in the mouse, to study cancer progression and the relationship between cancer mutations and the response of genetically defined tumors to therapy.

Previously, Lowe was honored by the AACR with its 2001 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research, for his work on the p53 tumor suppressor gene; and, in 1993, he received an AACR Scholar-in-Training Award on the strength of his cell death research.

Tamara and Franklin Salisbury, Sr., founded the NFCR in 1973. Franklin, an attorney and entrepreneur, and Tamara, a research chemist at the National Cancer Institute and a project officer in the chemistry branch of the Office of Naval Research, were inspired by the work of Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, who received the Nobel Prize for hi
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Contact: Elizabeth Tait
tait@aacr.org
215-440-9300
American Association for Cancer Research
24-Jun-2004