Most cancer deaths occur not because of the original tumor, but because cancer spreads throughout the body. To spread, cancer cells must squeeze through extremely tight spaces in tissues and blood vessels. One major obstacle is the nucleus — the large, stiff structure that houses DNA — which can rupture when cells attempt to force their way through confined spaces.
Dr. Kang studies how physical forces and cellular mechanics influence cancer progression. His earlier work showed how tissue tension and the physical structure of the tumor environment regulate fibroblast behavior and tumor growth. He also developed advanced imaging and computational tools to analyze cell behavior in real time.
His research focuses on an enzyme called PAD4, which normally helps immune cells reorganize their DNA during inflammatory responses. Dr. Kang believes cancer cells may hijack this same mechanism to loosen and reshape their nuclei, making it easier for them to migrate and spread.
Using advanced imaging technologies and microengineered systems that mimic the tight spaces cancer cells encounter in the body, he will investigate how PAD4 changes nuclear structure and mechanics during metastasis. If successful, this work could identify PAD4 as a promising new target for therapies aimed at preventing cancer spread. More broadly, it may reveal entirely new ways that cancer cells exploit immune-related processes to become more invasive.
Mentor
Hawa Racine Thiam, PhD
Projects and Grants
Hijacking an innate immune enzyme: tumor-intrinsic PAD4 remodels nuclear mechanics to promote breast cancer invasion
