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Gerard Conrad Blobe is a Professor at the Duke Cancer Institute and has extensive experience in the field of medicine, focusing on cancer research. His work primarily revolves around the Activin receptor-like kinase 4 (ALK4), a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily. Blobe has demonstrated that mutation and copy number loss of ALK4 occurs in 35% of pancreatic cancer patients, with a corresponding loss of ALK4 expression being associated with poorer prognosis. His research includes identifying gene disruption that enhances Ras-mediated pancreatic tumorigenesis in vivo, as well as demonstrating that loss of ALK4 expression increases canonical TGF-β signaling, thus leading to increased cancer invasion and metastasis. Currently, he investigates the mechanisms through which loss of ALK4 regulates TGF-β signaling and the effects of these pathways, aiming to utilize this knowledge to treat pancreatic cancer patients who exhibit loss of ALK4 function.
Duke Cancer Institute • Durham, NC
Lead researcher in cancer biology with a focus on TGF-β signaling and pancreatic cancer.
Duke University School of Medicine • Durham, NC
Teach courses and conduct research in cell biology.
Duke University School of Medicine • Durham, NC
Conduct research and teach pharmacology with an emphasis on cancer.
Dana Farber Cancer Institute • Boston, MA
Provided specialized treatment and research in adult oncology.
Department of Biomedical Engineering (MS program)