Anthony Oro MD/PhD

Clinical Focus

• Dermatology
• Skin Cancer
• Hair disorders

Professional Education

Postdoctoral Advisees

Scott Atwood,  Susie Lee,  Lingjie Li,  Sandra Melo Carlos,  Gozde Yucel

Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations

• Cancer Biology
• Dermatology

Internet Links

• Personal Web site

Current Research Interests

Our lab is interested in the role of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling system in the pathogenesis of the most common human tumor, basal cell carcinoma (BCCs) of the skin. Induction of Shh target genes mediate normal hair follicle morphogenesis. However, ectopic Shh target gene induction result in BCC tumor development from normal skin. We are interested in

1)how tumor stroma regulates Shh signaling and BCC progression

2) identifying Shh target genes that mediate the dramatic histologic changes in epithelium. We are using transgenic and knockout mice, retroviral infections in primary human and mouse cells, and DNA microarrays to address this questions. Our ultimate goal is to understand the pathogenesis of epithelial cancer in order to develop novel anti-tumor therapeutics.

Most recently we have identified a Shh target gene called MIM that is an inducible actin cytoskeleton remodeling protein. MIM binds to the tumor suppressor Suppressor of Fused and the oncogene Gli to potentiate Gli transcription.

Clinical Trials

• A Phase II Study of Efficacy and Safety in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma (BOLT) Recruiting
• A Study of GDC-0449 (Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor) in Patients Treated With GDC-0449 in a Previous Genentech-Sponsored Phase I or II Cancer Study Recruiting
• Pilot LDE225 in Locally Advanced or Metastatic BCC + Previously Tx Non-LDE225 Smoothened Inhibitors Recruiting
• Characteristics of Patients with Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Recruiting
• A Study of GDC-0449 in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma No longer recruiting

Publications

• Cell migration: GSK3β steers the cytoskeleton's tip. Yucel G, Oro AE. Cell. 2011; 144 (3): 319-21
• In vivo imaging of human and mouse skin with a handheld dual-axis confocal fluorescence microscope. Ra H, Piyawattanametha W, Gonzalez-Gonzalez E, Mandella MJ, Kino GS, Solgaard O, Leake D, Kaspar RL, Oro A, Contag CH. J Invest Dermatol. 2011; 131 (5): 1061-6
• SnapShot: hair follicle stem cells. Woo WM, Oro AE. Cell. 2011; 146 (2): 334-334.e2
• Top-accessed article: Basal cell nevus syndrome. Gomezospina N, Oro AE. Arch Dermatol. 2011; 147 (10): 1213
• BAR domain competition during directional cellular migration. Quiñones GA, Oro AE. Cell Cycle. 2010; 9 (13): 2522-8