Umadevi V. Wesley, Ph.D.
802-656-3421
316A HSRF
Cell Signaling and Cell Surface Proteases
Background
Uma Wesley received her Ph.D. from the State University of New York, Stony Brooke, NY. She worked with Dr. Michael V. Viola on the tumor suppressor gene, p53 and identification of genes from chromosomal regions translocated in leukemias. She had a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship with Dr. Alan Houghton and continued to work as a Senior Research Scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center studying the role of cell surface proteases as tumor suppressor genes in human melanomas. Currently her research is focused on determining the role of transmembrane peptidase Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV (DPPIV) in regulating the growth and progression of neuroblastoma, a devastating childhood cancer of sympathetic nervous system. Her lab is working on identifying the signaling pathways that are associated with tumor/metastasis suppressor activities of DPPIV. She is also interested in elucidating the effects of environmental carcinogens on proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of neural crest derived cells and neuroblastoma.