Monga Lab

The research of Edward H. Hurley, MD is focused on understanding the development of hepatoblastoma, the most common liver cancer in children. 

Babies born small for their gestational age or premature are at increased risk for developing hepatoblastoma and we do not know why. My current projects are focused on the role of two signaling molecules, β-catenin and YAP1, in the pathogenesis of hepatoblastoma. This work is conducted in the lab of Dr. Satdarshan (Paul) Monga, MD, professor of pathology and director of the Pittsburgh Liver Research Center. 

The lab has developed an innovative model of hepatoblastoma by injecting mice with constitutively active forms of β-catenin and YAP1. The resulting tumors molecularly and phenotypically resemble hepatoblastomas. I am using this model to determine how modifying different pathways may impact tumor development and growth with an eye towards discovering pathways that will serve as novel pharmacologic targets for treatment.