Tanaka Lab

The goal of the Tanaka Laboratory is to understand how cancer cells alter their DNA (genome instability). DNA content is very stable in normal cells, whereas cancer cells remodel DNA content continuously. This is an important subject, because cancer cells acquire unlimited growth and metastatic potential through genome instability.

The Tanaka Lab is particularly interested in the mechanisms generating genomic amplification in breast cancer. Genomic amplification creates extra copies of cancer-promoting genes, so that cells with genomic amplification can grow faster. Members of the Tanaka Lab would like to understand how cancer cells develop genomic amplification and to develop agents that prevent the process.

The Tanaka Laboratory is affiliated with the Cedars-Sinai Cancer Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Surgery Department.

Personal Statement

My career goal is to contribute to human health through scientific discoveries and innovations. After receiving my medical degree from Kyoto University in Japan, I took a career path as a surgeon. During my five-year career as a surgical oncologist, I saw many cancer patients who developed very aggressive tumors. Because none of the treatments were effective, I realized the necessity of transformational developments leading to new treatments for cancer patients."

Hisashi Tanaka, MD

Breakthrough Research Areas

The Tanaka Laboratory is working on the mechanisms of genome instability, an enabling characteristic that drives unlimited proliferation and metastatic potential. Genomic amplification is a form of genome instability and is associated with abnormal chromosome structures. The Tanaka Lab is investigating how genomic amplification arises and how we can prevent genomic amplification from occurring, leading to improved treatments for patients.

Internal Collaborations

Meet Our Team

Learn more about the scientists, faculty members, investigators and other healthcare professionals of the Tanaka Laboratory, whose dedicated efforts lead to groundbreaking discoveries.

View Our Team

Publications

Impediment of replication forks by long non-coding RNA provokes chromosomal rearrangements by error-prone restart.

Watanabe T, Marotta M, Suzuki R, Diede SJ, Tapscott SJ, Niida A, Chen X, Mouakkad L, Kondratova A, Giuliano AE, Orsulic S, Tanaka H.

Cell Rep. 2017 Nov 21;21(8):2223-2235.

Palindromic amplification of ERBB2 oncogene in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Marotta M, Onodera T, Johnson J, Budd GT, Watanabe T, Cui X, Giuliano AE, Niida A, Tanaka, H.

Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 17;7:41921.

Replication fork integrity and intra-S phase checkpoint suppress gene amplification.

Kondratova A, Watanabe T, Marotta M, Cannon M, Segall AM, Serre D, Tanaka H.

Nucleic Acids Res. 2015 Mar 11;43(5):2678–2690.

Contact the Tanaka Lab

8700 Beverly Blvd.
Davis Building, Room 2058
Los Angeles, CA 90048

310-423-0551

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