The Development and Cancer Program brings together investigators in the related fields of cancer biology, stem cell biology, and developmental biology. This inter-related group exploits the diverse strengths at UT Southwestern in developmental biology and focuses them on cancer.

The program uses mouse models to define host‑tumor cell interactions at a molecular level with the goal of developing novel and more effective treatments. For example, genetic mouse models of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) have been generated and used to investigate dermal and plexiform neurofibroma formation. Studies with these mice uncovered an important role for the tumor microenvironment in NF1-associated tumor genesis, which demonstrated that while NF1 nullizygosity in the Schwann cell lineage is required for neurofibroma formation, it is not sufficient (Science 2002, 296:920).

In addition, adoptive transfer of hematopoietic cells was used to show that NF1 heterozygosity of bone marrow derived cells in the tumor microenvironment, in the context of Schwann cell nullizygosity, is sufficient to allow neurofibroma progression (Cell 2008, 135: 437).

The availability of the Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Facility enables the group to carry out these experiments as well as assess tumor development noninvasively in mouse models of cancer.