Dr. Paul Grippo is an Associate Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the College of Medicine. He has been focused on the design and utility of mouse models of cancer for over 20 years. As he continues to generate new mouse models, he is studying them to understand disease progression and the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of those events. Dr. Grippo was one of the first to target mutant KRAS to mouse pancreas, demonstrating that KRAS expression in acinar cells results in acinar-to-ductal metaplasia together with pre-invasive lesions. His laboratory research is focused on identifying defects in signal transduction pathways in GI cancers that affect mutant KRAS-induced neoplasia and cancer in genetically engineered mouse models. His particular research focus within that umbrella would be the effects of high fat diets on mutant Kras-induced neoplasia and cancer. His interest in mechanistic interplays between TGF and KRAS signals as it relates to cell cycle players has been showcased in both pancreas and colon. All of these findings likely will have clinical ramifications particularly as mechanisms involved become fully appreciated and exploited. With his expertise at employing mutant Kras to induce pancreatic neoplasia and cancer, Dr. Grippo can provide a variety of animal models and consultation on their use and findings generated thereof.
His research is focused on mouse models for disease progression, as well as, molecular and cellular mechanisms.