My lab is focused on developing basic and translational models of pediatric sarcomas—devastating and aggressive solid tumors with limited therapeutic options. Specifically, we study fusion-oncogene driven rhabdomyosarcoma, which is thought to arise from a misregulation of skeletal muscle developmental pathways. We use cell culture and transgenic zebrafish systems to delineate the underlying biology of the disease and then apply that knowledge to identify novel molecular targets. Our ultimate goal is to apply our models as discovery based tools to derive mechanistic insights for improving outcomes for children with cancer.

Kendall Lab website