In 2022, cellular plasticity has been added as a new 'Hallmark of Cancer'. It can be defined as the ability of cancer cells to dynamically modulate biochemical and biomechanical properties in response to intracellular and extracellular stimuli.

The aim of this project is to understand the basic biology of human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) gene function in breast cancer (BC). The natural overexpression of hNIS protein in majority of BC samples has triggered global research initiatives to verify the possible targeted radioiodine therapy as an option in BC patients.

Cancer cell signaling is a vast area of research, where protein-protein interactions, protein activation and degradation kinetics play vital roles in cellular signaling. We have been rigorously developing and using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) based assessment method to study cell signaling and protein-protein interactions. We are pursuing the design of various BRET reporter sensors for important cancer-targeting proteins intimately involved in oncogenic signaling. In recent years, our lab has designed multiple BRET sensors for determining protein activation in vivo.

Lucifer ase reporters are the backbone of optical imaging. In collaboration with IBCh, Moscow Academy of Sciences, Russia we are studying a novel Luciferase. luciferin pair isolated from a wild bioluminescence mushroom species. This luciferass is distinctively unique for its enzyme substrate activity and therefore readily integrated with other common luciferase systems available.