My research interest is in how epigenetic inhibitors induce cell death through changes in gene expression under cellular stress and in combination with kinase inhibitors. Specifically, we are interested in how cancer cells change this epigenetic regulation. In breast cancer, the EGFR family of receptors are activated and increased expression of anti-apoptotic genes. This epigenetic regulation of this increase in gene expression is not well understood. We are also interested in epigenetic regulation of genes induced under hypoxic stress. Hypoxia is a poor prognostic marker in cancer and we what understand the epigenetic regulation. Finally many cancer treatments use histone deacetylase inhibitors that changes epigenetic markers in cancer cells. How these inhibitors work and how to improve their effectiveness is another focus in my laboratory.