Musculoskeletal oncology signal transduction laboratory is specialized in sarcoma research and exploring highly promising neuropeptides as a potential therapy in sarcoma treatment.
Understanding the molecular pathways leading to malignant transformation of progenitor mesenchymal cells, signaling and epigenetic pathways involved in sarcoma genesis, the role of cancer stem cells in disease recurrence and drug resistance is the primary focus of Dr. Galoian’s laboratory. PRP-1 and its analog neuropeptides significantly inhibit sarcoma growth by targeting cancer stem cells responsible for disease recurrence and drug resistance.
The primary interest of the laboratory is elucidation of signal transduction pathways involved in musculoskeletal tumors progression and metastasis, mechanisms of cellular cancer dormancy, cell cycle and oncogene inactivation and extracellular matrix-cell communications. A significant problem for translational research is cancer recurrence and drug resistance. Another focus is exploring the involvement of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) feedback loops and mediated cytoskeletal events in drug resistance.
The goal? To develop a combined treatment protocol leading to sarcoma cure and studying in-depth promising antitumorigenic derivatives of hypothalamic neuropeptides, which attack cancer stem cells responsible for tumor progression and recurrence.
Dr. Galoian is a research associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.
She also leads the departmental Institutional Review Board and is Research Director of the Sarcoma Disease Site Group at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Galoian earned a Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Armenia and Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Biochemistry from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. She was a Fogarty International Center visiting fellow in pharmacology at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, where she investigated leukemogenic fusion proteins occurring during chromosomal translocation. Dr. Galoian is a 2017 recipient of the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in Biochemistry, presented by Marquis Who’s Who.
For the past 10 years, Dr. Galoian has been researching possible cures for chondrosarcoma, or cancer of the cartilage – a virtually untreatable form of cancer that accounts for 30% of all bone tumors. Sarcomas and chondrosarcomas result from the unregulated growth of mesenchymal stem cells. These sarcomas do not appear to respond either to chemotherapy or radiation, leaving surgical resection as the only option. Effective adjuvant therapy for this malignant metastatic disease is urgently needed.
She, along with Dr. H. Thomas Temple, professor emeritus, and with the help of Miami Center of Orthopaedic Research and Education (Miami CORE) established the Musculoskeletal Oncology Signal Transduction Laboratory in 2010.
One of the important missions of Dr. Galoian's research career is mentoring medical students at the Miller School of Medicine. Many promising talented honor students join the laboratory for training, resulting in multiple publications and podium presentations. Many of the students were on the Dean’s honor roll and were featured in the IBIS periodical of UM Miller School of Medicine presenting research done in Dr. Galoian’s laboratory. In 2020, one of the students, Caroline Granger, a graduate student received first place at SAMA Orthopedic Department Grand Rounds Awards. In the same year, 2020 this work was chosen for podium presentation at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. In 2022, Victoria Dahl, a second-year medical student won second place presenting their work. The laboratory alumni have a high record of matching orthopedic residency spots in the US’s best medical schools.
Dr. Galoian’s work has been presented on the local, national, and international levels. Additionally, she has authored and co-authored many publications in journals such as Cancer Cell and Blood. She also serves as a scientific reviewer for articles under consideration for publication in prestigious U.S. and international journals.
Contact information: kgaloian@med.miami.edu
Office phone: 305-243-6692