With great sadness we report Dr. Guha passed away on November 8, 2011

Dr. Guha's laboratory investigates the molecular pathogenesis of nervous system tumors, specifically gliomas and neurofibromas. The laboratory is at the Arthur & Sonia Labatts Brain Tumor Center, at the Sick Children’s Research Institute- MaRS. Broadly, the laboratory investigates three areas of molecular neurooncology: 1-Aberrant signaling complexes (growth factors, receptors, signaling pathways) that promote growth of these tumors; 2- Molecular heterogeneity in these tumors as it relates to angiogenesis, metabolism and apoptosis; 3- Development of transgenic mouse models, based on known and novel relevant genetic aberrations in these tumors. The laboratory uses a variety of in-vitro, in-vivo, transgenic and patient tumor models. Translation of these molecular studies towards pre-clinical testing of biological therapies are also undertaken.

Graduate Students:

• Sameer Agnithori: PhD
• Alenoush Albert-Vartanian: MSc
• Vedant Arun: PhD
• Aaron Gajadhar: PhD
• Diana Munoz: PhD

Selected References:

• Guha, A., Lau, N., Huvar, I., Gutmann, D., Provias, J., Pawson, T., Boss, G.1996. Ras.GTP levels are elevated in human NF1 peripheral nerve tumors. Oncogene 12: 507-513.

• Guha, A., Feldkamp, M., Lau, N., Boss, G., Pawson, A.1997. Proliferation of human malignant astrocytomas are dependent on Ras activation. Oncogene 15: 1611-1616.

• Ding, H, Gertsenstein, S, McMaster, S, Roncari, L, Wu, X, Lau, N, Shannon, P, Gutmann, D, Nagy, A, Guha, A. 2001. Transgenic Model of Malignant Astrocytoma with Astrocyte Specific Expression of 12VHa-Ras. Cancer Res; 61:3826-3836.

• M Feldkamp, N Lau, L Roncari, Guha, A. 2001. Isotype-specific Ras*GTP-levels predict the efficacy of farnesyl- transferase inhibitors against human astrocytomas regardless of Ras mutational status. Cancer Research; 61: 4425-4431.

• Zadeh, G, Qian, B, Sabha, N, Okhowat, A, Kontos, C, Guha, A: 2004. Targeting the Tie2/Tek receptor in Astrocytomas: Am J Pathol;  164: 467-476

• Shannon, P, Sabha, N, Lau, N, Gutmann, DH, Guha, A: 2005. Pathological and Molecular Progression of Astrocytomas in a GFAP:12V-Ha-Ras Mouse Astrocytoma Model: Am J. of Pathology; Sep 167(3): 859-867.

• Wei, Q, Clarke, L, Scheidenhelm, DK, Qian, B, Tang, A, Sabha, N, Karim, Z, Bock, N, Reti, R, Swoboda, R, Purev, E, Lavoie, J-F, Bajenaru, MJ, Shannon, P, Herlyn, D, Kaplan, D, Henkelman, RM, Gutmann, DH, Guha, A: 2006. High-Grade Glioma Formation Results from Postnatal Pten Loss or Mutant Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression in a Transgenic Mouse Glioma Model. Cancer Research; Aug1: 66(1): 7429-7437

• Kamnasaran, D, Qian, B, Hawkins, C, Stanford, W, Guha, A” 2007. GATA6, a Novel Astrocytoma Tumor Suppressor Gene Identified by Gene Trapping from a Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Astrocytoma: PNAS (Track2); May8;104(19):8053-8058