Fields of Research
- Network Pharmacology
- Wnt Signaling Pathway in Normal and Disease State
- Developing new experimental and computational strategies for studying signaling within a tissue microenvironment
Research Summary
Dr. Taran Gujral is a systems biologist who takes a big-picture, multidisciplinary approach to studies of cell-cell interactions. He investigates both tumor cells and their microenvironment — the noncancerous cells that surround them. Interactions among the cancerous and noncancerous cells in a tumor influence how well it grows, spreads and resists treatment. Dr. Gujral is looking inside and outside tumor cells to discover the molecular programs initiated by these interactions.
Research Statement
Our lab is focused on understanding the details of how cells respond to external stimuli, both stimuli that are physiological and those that contribute to disease. Cells in multicellular organisms are functionally distinct, and their behavior is influenced by the surrounding cells and tissue, which is referred to as the microenvironment. The molecular networks that let cells respond to stimuli are complex, dynamic, and interconnected. Therefore, studying these networks requires multiple approaches. In addition to using systems biology and computational biology along with cell biology and pharmacology approaches, we are developing new techniques to investigate tissue-specific signaling networks, identify molecular targets for drug discovery, and identify new uses for existing medicines.
Awards and Honors
Sidney Kimmel Scholar Award
American Lung Association Discovery Award
Taran Gujral
Professor in Human Biology at Fred Hutch
Affiliations
UW Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program
Funding support:
NIH/NCI
DoD
Taran Gujral
Professor in Human Biology at Fred Hutch
Affiliations
UW Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program
Funding support:
NIH/NCI
DoD
Faculty
- Building:
- Hutchinson Building
- Room:
- C3-201
- Phone:
- 206-667-2660
- Web Link:
- http://research.fhcrc.org/gujral/
Lab
- Building:
- Hutchinson Building
- Room:
- C3-201
- Phone:
- 206-667-4149
- Web Link:
- http://research.fhcrc.org/gujral/
Taran Gujral
Professor in Human Biology at Fred Hutch
Affiliations
UW Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program
Funding support:
NIH/NCI
DoD
PHCOL499
Taran Gujral
Professor in Human Biology at Fred Hutch
Affiliations
UW Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program
Funding support:
NIH/NCI
DoD
Nao Nishida-Aoki (Postdoc)
Thomas Bello (Grad student)
Andrew Bondesson(Grad student)
Taran Gujral
Professor in Human Biology at Fred Hutch
Affiliations
UW Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program
Funding support:
NIH/NCI
DoD
Select Publications
Gujral, T.S., Chan, M., Peshkin, L., Sorger, P.K., Kirschner, M.W. and MacBeath, G. A noncanonical Frizzled2 pathway regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis. Cell. 159 (4), 844–856 (2014).
Gujral, T.S. and Kirschner M.W. The Hippo pathway mediates resistance to cytotoxic drugs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 114 (18) E3729-E3738
Gujral, T.S., Peshkin, L., and Kirschner M.W. Exploiting polypharmacology for drug target deconvolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 111 (13) 5048-5053 (2014).
Publications
Taran Gujral
Professor in Human Biology at Fred Hutch
Affiliations
UW Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program
Funding support:
NIH/NCI
DoD