Cancer Science & Therapy

Ganesan Kumaresan

Biography

Dr.G.Kumaresan obtained B.Sc. (Zoology) and M.Sc. (Biology) from Manonmaniam Sundranar University and Madurai Kamaraj University with University first ranks in both. His doctoral research was on “Molecular Biology of the Transposon Mariner Like elements” with Prof.S.Mathavan in School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University. During graduate programme, many novel transposable elements were identified from silkworm. This investigation also brought a novel PCR based technique to isolate various copies of multi-copy genes from genome. Subsequent postdoctoral research trainings were with Dr.Sandy Chang and Dr.Rakesh Kumar in University of Texas M.D.Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, U.S.A. Major research focus in M.D.Anderson was to develop mouse and human cellular models to study the cancer associated characteristics of selected genes. The second postdoctoral investigation was in the area of “Cancer Genomics & Proteomics” with Dr. Patrick Tan’s Molecular Genomics group, in National Cancer Center, Singapore. Various genomics, proteomics and integrative approaches were utilized for the identification of candidate genes. By this integrative genomics and proteomics investigation, few novel tumor suppressor genes, metastasis inhibitor genes, oncogenes, drug-sensitivity determining genes and potential biomarker candidates were identified and characterized in breast and gastric cancers.

Research Interest

My group is working in the following aspects: (1) Molecular and Cellular Genomics of Cancer & Diabetes, (2) Diagnostic and Therapeutic Cancer Biomarker Discovery, and (3) Assay Development for Targeted Therapeutic Compound Screening. We mine the existing, exhaustive human genomics resources: i) to understand the molecular, cellular and genomic processes in carcinogenesis, and ii) for the development of next generation diagnostics and therapeutics. My group utilizes the human cellular models and genomics technologies to evaluate the identified therapeutic targets and to characterize the promising biomarker candidates. We are working towards the identification of powerful and realistic next generation biomarkers for the classification, prognosis and therapeutics of breast, gastric, and liver cancers. In parallel, our group is developing an array of engineered cancer cells and assays, representing different oncogenic signaling pathways, for the screening of therapeutic compounds. The developed cell lines will be valuable reagents for therapeutic compound screening in cancer drug discovery. These projects are being funded by DAE, BRNS, DST, DBT, and UGC (CEGS core). I also look for the opportunities of collaboration with interested basic, translational and clinical research teams to strengthen the resources and to achieve the goals by collective effort.