Hockenbery, David

My research efforts revolve around the cell biology of apoptosis and the functional analysis of the Bcl-2 family of regulators of apoptosis. In the last five years, we have branched off into some studies of cell metabolism, in most part due to the growing recognition that apoptosis and metabolism are closely intertwined. My lab studies apoptosis and metabolism from several perspectives relevant to cancer: the role of energy imbalance at a cellular level in carcinogenesis; characterizing oncogenic contributions to tumor metabolism; understanding metabolic strategies for tumor evasion of apoptosis. A long-term goal is to identify methods of reversing apoptotic defects associated with clinical disease, and in particular, engaging apoptotic pathways directly in cancer cells as a therapeutic approach. Specific on-going projects include the identification of small molecule inhibitors of Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic family members, multi-dimensional analysis of Myc regulation of cellular metabolism, studies of a novel pathway of ubiquitin-mediated mitochondrial protein turnover, and investigations of the role of nutrient excess in carcinogenesis.