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Carol A. Lange, PhD (she/her/hers)

Professor
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN, United States

Dr. Carol A. Lange PhD, Tickle Family Land Grant Endowed Chair of Breast Cancer Research, Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology and Associate Director for Basic Science and Sharted Resources at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center is a cancer researcher whose program is focused on the integrated actions of oncogenic protein kinase cascades and steroid hormone receptors (SRs) in hormone-driven cancers. She has made critical contributions to the understanding of molecular and signaling mechanisms of both ligand- induced and ligand-independent and cellular stress-induced SR actions (ER, PR, GR, and MR) and their synergy in tumor progression towards therapy resistance and metastasis, primarily in ER+ or triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) as well as high grade serous ovarian cancers. All SRs rapidly activate cytoplasmic protein kinases and act as growth factor and cytokine stress “sensors”. In this role, SRs are heavily phosphorylated by oncogenic protein kinases (MAPKs, PI3K/AKT, mTORC1, CDKs) frequently activated in cancers. Phosphorylation of SRs alters their binding partners, changes promoter selection and promotes changes in cell fate/plasticity by regulating genes that specify proliferative, pro-survival, metabolic, and inflammatory processes, as well as enable stem cell programs via expression of autocrine/paracrine factors. A deeper understanding of how SRs integrate with oncogenic signaling pathways will reveal new ways to better target these receptor drivers in SR+ cancers.

Dr. Lange has served as a mentor to trainees at all levels, including as primary advisor to 15 undergraduate students, 17 predoctoral (PhD) students, and 16 postdoctoral fellows and have been a faculty mentor to numerous junior and mid-career faculty in her leadership roles within the UMN Masonic Cancer Center. Dr. Lange is committed to providing high quality training and mentoring in a supportive environment that fosters creativity and independent thought.

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