Tonya Train

My broad research interests are in the area of cellular biology and biochemical signal transduction.  When a cell receives a signal from its environment, that signal (e.g. growth factors, toxins, hormones) triggers a series of biochemical reactions within the cell.  Those internal reactions ultimately result in a cellular response such as growth or death.   My graduate research focused on the effect of a stress hormone and chemotherapeutic agents on developing immune cells and my postdoctoral research investigated how adhesion changes the biochemical signaling pathways in leukemic and normal white blood cells.   How do external molecules alter internal biochemical signaling pathways and what is the ultimate result on the function of the cell?  This question is central to understanding how normal cells function and ultimately to determining how environmental factors might adversely affect cell function contributing to the development of diseases such as cancer or immune disorders.