Our Research

The Sartorius laboratory studies the role of sex steroid hormones and their cognate receptors (i.e. estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR)) in breast cancer. Sex steroid hormones impact the etiology and progression of breast cancer and are the main targets of endocrine therapies. The incidence of hormone receptor (HR)+ breast cancer steadily increases with age, comprising >80% of postmenopausal cases. Endocrine treatments are not always durable and around one third of patients experience tumor recurrence, usually to sites outside the breast. We focus on transcriptional and translational regulation by ER, PR, and other hormone-activated receptors such as retinoic acid receptor (RARs). We use HR+ human breast cancer cell line models, patient-derived xenografts, and clinical specimens combined with new technologies to answer these questions. Our long-term goal is to understand the role of hormones and their receptors during aging and breast cancer in order to prevent or halt progression and endocrine resistance.

Breast Cancer Research Foundation Grantee Page

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