Gary Firestone

Professor Gary Firestone is a faculty member in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, within the College of Letters & Science. He leads research focused on cell signaling pathways in cancer, particularly exploring phytochemicals such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and artemisinin for their anticancer properties. His work integrates molecular, biochemical, and physiological approaches to understand mechanisms regulating cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration.

Research interests include:

• Anti-proliferative effects of dietary phytochemicals (e.g., I3C, DIM, artemisinin)
• Mechanisms of hormone receptor modulation and transcriptional control
• Glucocorticoid regulation of tight junction formation in epithelial cells
• Development of preclinical strategies for anticancer therapeutics

Key findings include identifying I3C’s inhibition of elastase and its role in disrupting NFκB signaling, as well as elucidating artemisinin’s effects on cell cycle arrest and hormone receptor pathways. Collaborative clinical studies, such as the Marin County DIM trial, have demonstrated translational impact.

Publications highlight contributions to understanding:

• Phytochemical interactions with cellular targets like cyclin E and CD40
• Role of Sgk kinase in glucocorticoid signaling
• Mechanisms linking dietary compounds to cancer stem cell behavior

Labs and teams: Firestone Lab focuses on translational cancer research, combining experimental and computational approaches to anticancer drug discovery.