Jason A. Chesney, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Additional Training
New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
The Picower Institute, New York
Summary of Research Interests
Research in Dr. Chesney's laboratory is focused on the identification and clinical translation of metabolic pathways and regulators that are essential for cancer cells to grow. Dr. Chesney recently discovered an enzyme, called Inducible 6-Phosphofructo-2-Kinase (iPFK-2) that is over-expressed by a majority of human solid tumors, and is required for human tumor cell growth in athymic mice. iPFK-2 produces fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, the most potent activator of glucose metabolism in tumor cells. Tumor cells breakdown glucose to generate energy, DNA and proteins, and iPFK-2 is essential for maintaining these processes in a growing tumor. His laboratory has generated a mouse line deficient in iPFK-2 and studies are now underway to determine the precise regulatory roles of iPFK-2 in both neoplastic glucose metabolism and tumor growth. In order to translate these discoveries into new anti-cancer therapies, researchers in Dr. Chesney's laboratory also are attempting to develop small molecular inhibitors of PFK-2 as well as other regulatory enzymes involved in glucose metabolism. A second focus of the laboratory is the development of a technique to universally detect and identify viruses in human fluids. Emerging and recombined viruses are currently impossible to detect, and identifying them will advance our ability to screen blood products, diagnose infected individuals and defend against bioterrorism. Dr. Chesney's laboratory is developing a technique that can detect any virus without using reagents that are specific to the virus (such as PCR primers or antibodies.) The expectation is that several novel viruses will be identified with this technique and that the clinical management of immunocompromised cancer patients and the safety of the nation's blood supply will be substantially improved.
Telephone: 502-852-3402
Fax: 502-852-5679
Email: jaches03@gwise.louisville.edu
