Scientific Areas of Expertise: Cancer Cell Biology; Invasion and Metastasis; Protein Kinases
For renowned contributions to the understanding of oncogenic transformation including discovering that RSV v-Src transforming protein and c-Src are plasma membrane-associated, defining the activation mechanism of the c-Src tyrosine kinase; discovering that c-Src is involved in polyomavirus transformation, which revolutionized the DNA tumor virus field; and identifying Tks4 and Tks5 adaptor proteins as Src substrates that trigger invadopodia formation and protease secretion essential for tumor cell invasion.
A prominent authority in cancer biology, Dr. Courtneidge’s renowned contributions to the understanding of oncogenic transformation include the discovery that the RSV v-Src transforming protein and its c-Src cellular counterpart are plasma membrane-associated. She discovered that the polyomavirus middle T transforming protein associates with and activates the c-Src tyrosine kinase, a finding that revolutionized the DNA tumor virus field. Additionally, Dr. Courtneidge uncovered that c-Src is activated by association with the PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase and is required for mitogenic signaling in a pathway that leads to c-Myc overexpression. Most importantly, her novel kinase discovery facilitated the development of the first selective small molecule Src family kinase inhibitor for lung cancer patients. Dr. Courtneidge also identified the Tks4 and Tks5 adaptor proteins as Src substrates that trigger formation of invadopodia, actin-rich plasma membrane protrusions that secrete proteases and coordinate extracellular proteolysis, essential for tumor cell invasion.
More recently, Dr. Courtneidge’s research has continued to focus on determining how cancer cells acquire invasive behavior required for tumor expansion and metastasis. Using high throughput screening to interrogate which kinases regulate invadopodia in melanoma, her team identified that TAO3 controls invadopodia formation and function and tumor extravasation and growth in vivo. Further, she identified small molecule inhibitors of TAO3 and elucidated the crystal structure of its catalytic domain, revealing unique features which may facilitate the development of selective TAO3 inhibitors. The discovery of TAO3 as a therapeutic target in melanoma now holds great promise for the development of TAO3 small molecule inhibitors for halting tumor growth and invasion and has enhanced our understanding of an understudied kinase that plays an important role in melanoma metastasis.
Selected Awards and Honors
2020 Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC
2020 Rosalind E. Franklin Award for Women in Science, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
2015 AACR-Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Lectureship, American Association for Cancer Research, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2006 Honoris Causa Doctor of Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
2005 Feodor Lynen Medal and Lectureship, Nature Biotechnology Winter Symposium, Basingstoke, United Kingdom
2004 Underberg Lecture, University of Rochester Cancer Center, Rochester, New York
2001 Jubilee Lecture and Harden Medal, British Biochemical Society, London, United Kingdom
1999 Adam Neville Lecture, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
1990 Elected Member, European Molecular Biology Organization, Heidelberg, Germany