Manuel Ascano, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor of Biochemistry
- Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Phone
632 Robinson Research Bldg.
2200 Pierce Avenue
Nashville, TN 37232-0146
Manuel Ascano, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor of Biochemistry
- Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
(615) 875-8714
manuel.ascano@vanderbilt.edu
632 Robinson Research Bldg.
2200 Pierce Avenue
Nashville, TN 37232-0146
Research Program
Departments/Affiliations
Profile
The cytoplasmic DNA-sensing pathway involving the proteins cGAS and STING are potent tumor immunosurveillance factors. Activation of STING leads to the upregulation of cytokines, notably tumor necrosis alpha. Several studies have shown that pharmacological stimulation of the cGAS-STING pathway can be effective in mitigating tumor progression in colorectal and non-small cell lung carcinoma murine models. My laboratory aims to understand the basic mechanisms governing cGAS and STING activation and regulation, as well as investigating post-transcriptional regulatory control of mRNAs encoding for cytokines. Moreover, we are engaged in identifying and characterizing small molecule agonists and antagonists of the cGAS-STING pathway.
Education
- B.S., University of Illinois Urbana (1997)
- Ph.D., University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (2006)