Joshua Curtin, PhD, is a research fellow in the lab of Cataldo Doria, MD, PhD, focusing on the regulation of tumor cell growth and division, primarily in the liver. He examines how molecular components of cellular signaling pathways function to regulate cell growth and cell death.

Dr. Curtin’s doctoral research studied the actions of natural derivatives of Vitamin A known as tumor cell differentiators. Derivatives of Vitamin A are a class of compounds known as retinoids, which have been shown to prevent the unchecked division of cancer cells. “Although traditional chemotherapies kill both the mutated cancer cells and the healthy normal cells,” Dr. Curtin explains, “this treatment stops only the cancer cells from dividing.”

Dr. Curtin has coupled his expertise as a cancer biologist with his experience as a post-doctoral fellow in liver biology. “The ultimate goal,” he explains, “is to translate discovery in the lab into improved clinical treatment for patients suffering from liver cancer.”

To read more about this research, go to www.jeffersonhospital.org/transplant