Dr. Jill Siegfried
Dr. Jill Siegfried, Ph.D., is a Professor and UPMC Chair Lung Cancer Researcher. She received her Master's and doctorate degree in pharmacology from Yale University.
Dr. Siegfried investigates the role of growth factors and hormones in the development and growth of human lung cancer. The laboratory focuses on the effects of these cytokines on activation of cell signaling pathways and control of tumor growth, as well as their role in risk for cancer. Growth factors and their receptors currently under investigation include estrogen and its receptors and hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor, c-Met. Growth factors and hormones are also being investigated as possible therapeutic targets and diagnostic or prognostic indicators for lung cancer. Hepatocyte growth factor has been found to be a strong negative prognostic indicator for non-small cell lung cancer, and expression of the enzyme aromatase that mediates estrogen production has also been linked to poor outcome in women with lung cancer. Circulating growth factor levels may also correlate with active cancer. These studies are directed toward development of new methods to identify undetected lung cancer and new therapeutic strategies through increased knowledge of growth-regulatory processes in lung cancer cells.
