DR. DON J. FUJITA

Ph.D. (Univ. of Chicago) - Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Staff Scientist, Tom Baker Cancer Centre.

Affiliations: Member - Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute.

Research Interests:

My laboratory is involved in studies on the regulation and functions of tyrosine kinases, with particular emphasis on the human c-src gene product cSrc. cSrc is a master cellular control protein that is involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, angiogenesis and other functions. When its kinase activity is aberrantly activated, cSrc is capable of causing the development and/or progression of various cancers, such as colon and breast cancer. We have recently shown that the kinase activity of cSrc is greatly elevated in many breast cancer cell lines due to high levels of a phosphatase that is capable of dephosphorylating the negative-regulatory COOH-terminal Tyr 530 of human cSrc. We have recently identified this phosphatase and further studies are in progress.

Other studies are currently underway to identify possible new targets of Src, and to clarify the role of Src in angiogenesis and metastasis, and in activating downstream signaling pathways. We have recently characterized a possible new Src target, a Golgi protein that we have named Golgin 67.

For more information See: Dr. Fujita Home Page

Personnel:

Ms Mary Chou, M.Sc	Graduate Student
Mr. Peter Tang, M.Sc. - Ph.D.	Graduate Student
Dr. Josephine Anthony, Ph.D.	PDF
Dr. Lisa Yu, Ph.D.	PDF
Andy Pang	Technical
Laura Robson	Technician
Rebecca Leong-Quong	Technician
Dr. Arja Kaipainen, Ph.D.	Research Associate
Dr. Jeff Bjorge, Ph.D.	Senior Research Associate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View Pub Med for Recent publications & abstracts

Recent Publications:

• Zhu, S., Bjorge, J.D., Cheng, H-C, and Fujita, D.J. "Decreased CHK protein levels are associated with Src activation in colon cancer cells". Oncogene, 27:2027-34 (2008).
• Zhu, S., Bjorge, J.D., and Fujita, D.J. "PTP1B Contributes to the Oncogenic Properties of Colon Cancer Cells through Src Activation". Cancer Res., 67:10129-37 (2007).

Contact Information:

The University of Calgary,
Room 2551 Health Sciences Centre,
3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary,
Alberta Canada T2N 4N1
Phone (403) 220-3017
Fax: (403) 283-4841,
E-mail: dfujita [at] ucalgary [dot] ca.