University of California-San Diego · BiologyVesicle Dynamics Lab
Shizhen Emily Wang · La Jolla, California
Research Focus
Dr. Shizhen Emily Wang's lab at UC San Diego focuses on understanding how breast cancer cells influence the body’s hormone signaling systems, specifically glucocorticoids, to promote tumor progression and metastasis. The lab investigates the role of tiny vesicles secreted by these cancer cells in enhancing glucocorticoid production and aims to identify potential treatments that could counteract these effects. By exploring these mechanisms, the research may lead to better diagnostic tools and therapies for breast cancer patients.
glucocorticoidsbreast cancerextracellular vesiclestumor progressionmetastasisimmunomodulationneuroendocrine signaling
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate how breast cancer-derived extracellular vesicles enhance glucocorticoid production.
AIM 02Determine the whole-body effects of activated glucocorticoid signaling.
AIM 03Evaluate the potential of current glucocorticoid inhibitors as cancer treatments.
Skills the Lab Values
cell cultureRNA extractionmicroRNA analysisgene expression analysisimmunoprecipitationChIP-seqflow cytometryWestern blotpharmacological inhibitorsanimal models
Output against the department
Publications170top 39% of dept.401st of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations10ktop 38% of dept.390th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.