Address

4100 John R, Mail Code EL01TM Detroit, MI 48201

Office Address

4100 John R, Mail Code EL01TM
Detroit, MI 48201 

Mentoring

 Rayane Dennaoui and Madison Wicker

Department

Oncology

Laboratory Web Site

https://www.wagnerlab.net/

Research Interests

• genetic events that govern the initiation and progression of cancer
• genetically engineered mouse models for breast and pancreatic cancer
• peptide hormone and inflammatory cytokine signaling 

Research Description

Numerous genes have been identified that are crucial for normal development and cancer. Their role is being studied in our research group through their deregulated expression in transgenic animals and through their deletion from the mouse genome by homologous recombination. Specifically, our laboratory has the expertise to overexpress genes in a temporally and spatially controlled manner using the Tet system and to delete genes in a tissue-specific and temporally controlled fashion using the Cre/loxP recombination system. Current projects include the analysis of cytokine signaling through the JAK/STAT and PI3K/AKT pathways as well as the role of c-Myc and oncogenic Kras in the initiation and maintenance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. 

Recent Publications

Shrestha, H.; P.D. Rädler; R. Dennaoui; M.N. Wicker; N. Rajbhandari; Y. Sun; A.R. Peck; K. Vistisen; A.A. Triplett; R. Beydoun; E. Sterneck; D. Saur; H. Rui and K.-U. Wagner (2024): The Janus kinase 1 is critical for pancreatic cancer initiation and progression. Cell Reports 43 (5): 114202

Wicker, M.N.and K.-U. Wagner (2023): Cellular plasticity in mammary gland development and breast cancer. Cancers 15 (23): 5605

Rädler, P.D.; K. Vistisen; A.A. Triplett; R. Dennaoui; Y. Li; H. Shrestha; R.-M. Ferraiuolo; A. Thangasamy; D. Saur and K.-U. Wagner (2021): Dual recombinase action in the normal and neoplastic mammary gland epithelium. Sci. Rep. 11 (1): 20775

Dennaoui, R.; H. Shrestha and K.-U. Wagner (2021): Models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews 40 (3): 803-818

Sun, Y.; N. Yang; F.E. Utama; S.S. Udhane; J. Zhang; A.P. Peck; A. Yanac; K. Duffey; J.F. Langenheim; V. Udhane; G. Xia; J.F. Peterson; J.M. Jorns; M.T. Nevalainen; R. Rouet; P. Schofield; D. Christ; C.J. Ormandy; A.L. Rosenberg; I. Chervoneva; S.-W. Tsaih; M.J. Flister; S.Y. Fuchs; K.-U. Wagner and H. Rui (2021): NSG-Pro mouse model for uncovering resistance mechanisms and unique vulnerabilities in human luminal breast cancers. Science Advances 7 (38): e8145

Rädler, P.D.; B.L. Wehde; A.A. Triplett; H. Shrestha; J. Shepherd; A.D. Pfefferle; H. Rui; R.D. Cardiff; C.M. Perou and K.-U. Wagner (2021): Highly metastatic claudin-low mammary cancers can originate from luminal epithelial cells. Nature Communications 12: 3742

Selected publications

Sakamoto, K.; P.D. Rädler; B.L. Wehde; A.A. Triplett; H. Shrestha; R.-M. Ferraiuolo; F. Amari; V. Coppola; A. Klinakis; Argiris Efstratiadis and K.-U. Wagner. Efficient tissue-type specific expression of target genes in a tetracycline-controlled manner from the ubiquitously active Eef1a1 locus. Sci. Rep. 2020;10:e207.

Wehde, B.L.; P.D. Rädler; H. Shrestha; S.J. Johnson; A.A. Triplett and K.-U. Wagner. Janus kinase 1 plays a critical role in mammary cancer progression. Cell Rep. 2018;25:2192–207.

Rajbhandari, N.; W.C. Lin; B.L. Wehde, A.A. Triplett and K.U. Wagner. Autocrine IGF1 signaling mediates pancreatic tumor cell dormancy in the absence of oncogenic drivers. Cell Rep. 2017;18:2243-55.

Sakamoto, K.; B.L. Wehde; K.H. Yoo; T. Kim; N. Rajbhandari; H.Y. Shin; A.A. Triplett; P.D. Rädler; F. Schuler; A. Villunger; K. Kang; L. Hennighausen and K.-U. Wagner (2016): Janus kinase 1 is essential for inflammatory cytokine signaling and mammary gland remodeling. Mol. Cell. Biol. 36 (11): 1673-1690

Witkiewicz, A.K.; E.A. McMillan; U. Balaji; G. Baek; W.-C. Lin; J. Mansour; M. Mollaee. K.-U. Wagner, P. Koduru; A. Yopp; M.A. Choti; C.J. Yeo; P. McCue; M.A. White and E.S. Knudsen. Whole-exome sequencing of pancreatic cancer defines genetic diversity and therapeutic targets. Nature Communications 2015;6:6744.

Lin W.C..; N. Rajbhandari and K.-U. Wagner (2014): Cancer cell dormancy in novel mouse models for reversible pancreatic cancer: a lingering challenge in the development of targeted therapies. Cancer Research 74 (8): 2138-2143

Lin, W.C.; N. Rajbhandari; C. Liu; K. Sakamoto; Q. Zhang; A.A. Triplett; S.K. Batra; R. Opavsky; D.W. Felsher; D.J. DiMaio; M.A. Hollingsworth; J.P. Morris 4th; M. Hebrok; A.K. Witkiewicz; J.R. Brody; H.Rui and K.-U. Wagner (2013): Dormant cancer cells contribute to residual disease in a mouse model for reversible pancreatic cancer. Cancer Research 73 (6): 1821-1830

Wagner, K.-U.; C. A. Boulanger; M. D. Henry; M. Sgagias, L. Hennighausen, and G. H. Smith (2002): An adjunct mammary epithelial cell population in parous females: its role in functional adaptation and tissue renewal. Development 129 (6): 1377-1386

Xu X., K.-U. Wagner, D. Larson, Z. Weaver, C. Li, T. Ried, L. Hennighausen, A. Wynshaw-Boris, and C.-X. Deng (1999): Conditional knockout of Brca1 in mammary epithelial cells results in blunted ductal morphogenesis and tumor formation. Nature Genetics 22 (1): 37-43

Wagner, K.-U.; R.J. Wall; L. St-Onge; P. Gruss; A. Wynshaw-Boris; M. Li; P.A. Furth and L. Hennighausen (1997): Cre mediated gene deletion in the mammary gland. Nucleic Acids Res. 25 (21): 4323-4330

see all: https://www.wagnerlab.net/publications

Education/Training

B.Sc. 1990 University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
M.Sc. 1991 University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Ph.D. 1995 University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
Postdoc 1995-2000 National Institute of Health 

Awards and Honors

1995 Martin-Luther-Medal from the University of Halle/Wittenberg in recognition of an exceptional Ph.D. defense (summa cum laude)
1995 Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Preis, University of Halle-Wittenberg (Sponsor: Deutsche Bank)
2006 UNMC Distinguished Scientist Award
2007 UNeMed Innovator Award
2008 UNeMed Innovator Award
2012 UNMC Outstanding Mentor of Graduate Students Award
2014 UNMC Research Leadership Award
2018 Lloyd and Marilyn Smith Endowed Professor for Breast Cancer Research, KCI
2019 Dr. Gloria Heppner Innovative Science Award, KCI
2022 Drs. Antony and Joyce D. Kales Endowed Faculty Award for Innovative Cancer Research, KCI
2022 Wayne State University School of Medicine’s College Teaching Award

Courses Taught

2019-present CB7220 Molecular Biology of Cancer Development Cr. 3, gene editing
2018-present IBS7015, Interdisciplinary Cell and Molecular Biology Cr. 6, Cancer Cells

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