Researcher | Research Overview
Dr. George is a physician scientist with a major focus on two aspects of the pediatric solid tumor neuroblastoma, identifying molecular targets that can be translated into novel therapies and understanding the perturbations that occur during development to drive neuroblastoma initiation and progression. Following the identification of activating mutations in the ALK tyrosine kinase receptor in neuroblastoma by Dr George and colleagues, her laboratory is investigating mechanisms of ALK activation and regulation in neuroblastoma as well as strategies to inhibit ALK that can be used therapeutically. The second focus of Dr. George’s laboratory is to better understand the development of the sympathetic nervous system, with particular emphasis on the PHOX2B transcription factor, a master regulator of noradrenergic differentiation and a gene that is mutated in hereditary neuroblastomas. Thirdly, Dr George's group is interested in studying the resistance mechanisms that lead to relapsed neuroblastoma and in developing early phase clinical trials for these patients. The translational research program in Dr. George’s laboratory integrates basic developmental and cancer biology, pre-clinical drug development and clinical trials targeting molecular aberrations in neuroblastoma.
Researcher | Research Background
Dr. George attended medical school at A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine, University of Liberia. She trained in pediatrics and received her PhD in cancer biology from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. She completed a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Children’s Hospital Boston/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. George completed her residency as a member of the Boston Combined Residency Program in Pediatrics. Research in Dr George's laboratory is funded by the National Institutes of Health, The Sidney Kimmel Foundation and the American Cancer Society.