Damon Runyon Researchers

Meet Our Scientists
Caitlin F. Bell, MD

The connection between cardiovascular disease and cancer, the two leading causes of death in the United States, extends beyond cancer treatment’s impact on the cardiovascular system. These complex diseases share several important risk factors and aspects of disease progression. In the development of atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty material in the arterial walls, vascular smooth muscle cells can change their roles and influence the progression of disease. Dr. Bell aims to determine if the same dynamic activity of smooth muscle cells occurs in the environment of a tumor, and whether these cells influence disease progression or response to therapies. Preclinical data suggests a significant role for these cells in the tumor environment for multiple solid tumor types, such as melanoma, breast cancer, and colon cancer. These findings could represent a new pharmacologic target for multiple cancers.

Project title: "Smooth muscle cell plasticity in the tumor microenvironment: another parallel between atherosclerosis and cancer"
Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine
Award Program: Physician-Scientist
Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Nicholas J. Leeper, MD, and Irving L. Weissman, MD
Cancer Type: All Cancers
Research Area: Vascular Biology/Angiogenesis