Alan P. Fields, Ph.D.

Dr. Alan Fields is a Professor of Pharmacology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and a consultant and Chair for the Department of Cancer Basic Research at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville.

Dr. Fields' laboratory is interested in the genetics, biochemistry and cell biology of lung and colon cancers and of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Currently, the laboratory is focusing on the role members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of protein kinases play in the initiation, promotion and metastatic spread of these cancers. We have developed cell and mouse models to help us understand how specific PKC isozymes are involved in colon and lung carcinogenesis. Our results demonstrate that multiple PKC isozymes paly critical role sin cancer development, or carcinogenesis. We have identified one PKC isozyme, PKCiota, that is required for transformed growth of human lung cancer cells in vitro and human lung cancer tumors grown in nude mice. We have also shown that PKCiota is overxpressed in human lung cancers and predicts poor survivalin patients with lung cancer. Our data demonstrate that PKCiota may be an important prognostic indicator and therapeutic target in lung cancer. Dr. Fields' research program is included in the GI Cancer and Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Programs within the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center.