معرفی
Carla Van Den Berg, Pharm.D. is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, where she holds a tenured position in the School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy. She also serves as Co-Director of the Developmental Therapeutics Lab at the Livestrong Cancer Institute and leads significant research in breast cancer molecular mechanisms.
Dr. Van Den Berg earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio & University of Texas-Austin in 1991, following a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1989. Her post-doctoral training included a Clinical Oncology Residency at Audie Murphy VA Hospital and Oncology Research Fellowships at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center and University of Texas Health Sciences Center.
Her laboratory research focuses on receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and their role in breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer. Specifically, she investigates JNK (c-Jun N-terminal Kinases) proteins and how they influence tumorigenesis, DNA damage, cell migration, and metastasis in breast cancer models. Her team has discovered that JNK proteins have diverse roles beyond cell death signaling, affecting mammary gland development, tumorigenesis, and response to chemotherapy. Using microarray technology, her lab has identified several genes through which JNKs influence cellular response to growth factors.
Analysis of Dr. Van Den Berg's publication history reveals a strong focus on IGF-I signaling pathways and their relationship to chemotherapy resistance in breast cancer. Her work demonstrates how IGF-I rescues breast cancer cells from chemotherapy-induced cell death through proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects, and how JNK proteins interact with mTOR and other signaling molecules to regulate cancer cell behavior. Her research spans molecular mechanisms, preclinical models, and potential therapeutic applications.
- Professional Achievement Award, University of Colorado
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy-Cetus Oncology Research Award
- National Cancer Institute T-32 Research Training Grant
- Pharmacy Research Award, Post-Doctoral Training Programs, The University of Texas
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy-Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Research Award
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy New Investigator Award
Dr. Van Den Berg has successfully secured over $1.8 million in research funding, including a $1 million National Cancer Institute grant for studying JNK in mammary gland development and tumorigenesis, a $206,340 Department of Defense grant on growth factor attenuation of cell death, and multiple awards from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. She has mentored numerous graduate students including Cindy Mamay (as thesis chair), Nancy Stolpman, Patrick Kerzic, Ileana Vargas, and Cathrine Denton, and has advised Pharm.D. students on oncology research projects.
As Co-Director of the Developmental Therapeutics Lab at the Livestrong Cancer Institute, Dr. Van Den Berg leads a research team investigating molecular mechanisms of cancer progression and resistance to therapy. Her laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding how JNK proteins regulate breast cancer cell behavior and response to treatment, with potential implications for developing new therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.
