Skip to content

Allie Grossmann

Associate Professor of Anatomic Pathology and Adjunct Associate Professor of Oncological Sciences

RAS Family of Small GTPases, Vesicular Trafficking, Oncogenic Signaling, Tumorigenesis, Tumor Progression, Metastasis

Allie Grossmann

 

Molecular Biology Program

Education

B.S. College of Idaho

M.D., Ph.D. Oregon Health Sciences University

 

Research

My laboratory focuses on understanding molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis, cancer progression and metastasis, with the goal of identifying opportunities for clinical intervention in prevention and treatment of cancer. Our work in melanoma integrates current knowledge of genomic drivers with studies of the small GTPase ARF6, which controls critical cellular functions such as endocytic trafficking, cytoskeletal rearrangements, cytokinesis, invadopodia, and tumor microvesicle shedding. Through our studies of ARF6 in melanoma, we hope to illuminate how small GTPases potentiate signaling from classic oncogenic pathways such as WNT/b-catenin, BRAF/MAPK, PI3K/AKT and RAS, and how this may be an actionable vulnerability for cancer therapy. In addition, we are probing the role of ARF6 in tumor-intrinsic inflammatory signaling, as ARF6 is known to be critical for inflammatory cytokine signaling and may impact how tumors interact with the immune microenvironment.

We use a variety of in vitro and in vivo approaches to study cancer progression, including genetically-engineered mouse models, xenografts, cell culture, microscopy, biochemical, molecular biological, and genomic approaches. With clinical expertise in Anatomic and Molecular Pathology, trainees have access to mentored skill development by Dr. Grossmann in gross and microscopic morphologic assessment of in vivo tumor model systems.

References (Selected Publications)

  1. Yoo JH, Brady SW, Acosta-Alvarez L, Rogers A, Peng J, Sorensen LK, Wolff RK, Mleynek T, Shin D, Rich CP, Kircher DA, Bild A, Odelberg SJ, Li DY, Holmen SL, Grossmann AH (2019). The Small GTPase ARF6 Activates PI3K in Melanoma to Induce a Prometastatic State. Cancer Res, 79(11), 2892-2908.
  2. Kircher DA, Trombetti KA, Silvis MR, Parkman GL, Fischer GM, Angel SN, Stehn CM, Strain SC, Grossmann AH, Duffy KL, Boucher KM, McMahon M, Davies MA, Mendoza MC, VanBrocklin MW, Holmen SL (2019). AKT1E17K activates focal adhesion kinase and promotes melanoma brain metastasis. Mol Cancer Res, 17(9):1787-1800.
  3. Ekiz HA, Huffaker TB, Grossmann AH, Stephens WZ, Williams MA, Round JL, O'Connell RM (2019). MicroRNA-155 coordinates the immunological landscape within murine melanoma and correlates with immunity in human cancers.. JCI Insight, 4(6), 126543.
  4. Barrott JJ, Illum BE, Jin H, Hedberg ML, Wang Y, Grossmann A, Haldar M, Capecchi MR, Jones KB. (2018). Paracrine osteoprotegerin and β-catenin stabilization support synovial sarcomagenesis in periosteal cells. J Clin Invest, 28(1), 207-18.
  5. Yang H, Kircher DA, Kim KH, Grossmann AH, VanBrocklin MW, Holmen SL, Robinson JP (2017). Activated MEK cooperates with Cdkn2a and Pten loss to promote the development and maintenance of melanoma. Oncogene, 36(27), 3842-51.
  6. Yoo JH, Shi DS, Grossmann AH, Sorensen LK, Tong ZZ, Mleynek TM, Rogers A, Zhu W, Richards JR, Winter JM, Zhu J, Dunn C, Bajji A, Shenderovich M, Mueller AL, Woodman SE, Harbour JW, Thomas KR, Odelberg SJ, Ostanin K, Li DY (2016). ARF6 is an actionable node that orchestrates oncogenic GNAQ signlaing in uveal melanoma. Cancer Cell, 29(6), 889 - 904.
  7. Cho JH, Robinson JP, Arave RA, Burnett WJ, Kircher DA, Chen G, Davies MA, Grossmann AH, VanBrocklin MW, McMahon M, Holmen SL (2015). AKT1 Activation Promotes Development of Melanoma Metastases. Cell Rep, 13(5), 898 - 905.
  8. Barrott JJ, Illum BE, Jin H, Zhu JF, Mosbruger T, Monument MJ, Smith-Fry K, Cable MG, Wang Y, Grossmann AH, Capecchi MR, Jones KB (2015). β-catenin stabilization enhances SS18-SSX2-driven synovial sarcomagenesis and blocks the mesenchymal to epithelial transition. Oncotarget, 6(26), 22758-66.
  9. Sant DW, Margraf RL, Stevenson DA, Grossmann AH, Viskochil DH, Hanson H, Everitt MD, Rios JJ, Elefteriou F, Hennessey T, Mao R. (2015). Evaluation of somatic mutations in tibial pseudarthrosis samples in neurofibromatosis type 1. J Med Genet, 52(4), 256-61.
  10. Shin CH, Grossmann AH, Holmen SL, Robinson JP (2015). The BRAF kinase domain promotes the development of gliomas in vivo. Genes Cancer, 6(1-2), 9-18.
  11. Gibson CC, Zhu W, Davis CT, Bowman-Kirigin JA, Chan AC, Ling J, Walker AE, Goitre L, Delle Monache S, Retta SF, Shiu YT, Grossmann AH, Thomas KR, Donato AJ, Lesniewski LA, Whitehead KJ, Li DY (2015). Strategy for Identifying Repurposed Drugs for the Treatment of Cerebral Cavernous Malformation. Circulation, 131(3), 289- 299.
  12. Chaturvedi A, Hoffman LM, Jensen CC, Lin YC, Grossmann AH, Randall RL, Lessnick SL, Welm AL, Beckerle MC (2014). Molecular dissection of the mechanism by which EWS/FLI expression compromises actin cytoskeletal integrity and cell adhesion in Ewing sarcoma. Mol Biol Cell, 25(18), 2695-709.
  13. Goodwin ML, Huifeng J, Smith-Frye K, Zhu JF, Monument MJ, Grossmann A, Randall RL, Capecchi MR, Jones KB (2014). Modeling Alveolar Soft Part Sarcomagenesis in the Mouse: A Role for Lactate in the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancer Cell, 26(6), 851-62.
  14. Grossmann AH, Yoo JH, Clancy J, Sorensen LK, Sedgwick A, Tong Z, Ostanin K, Rogers A, Grossmann KF, Tripp SR, Thomas KR, D'Souza-Schorey C, Odelberg SJ, Li DY (2013). The small GTPase ARF6 stimulates beta-catenin transcriptional activity during WNT5A-mediated melanoma invasion and metastasis. Sci Signal, 6(265), ra14.
  15. Zhu W, London NR, Gibson CC, Davis CT, Tong Z, Sorensen LK, Shi DS, Guo J, Smith MC, Grossmann AH, Thomas KR, Li DY (2012). Interleukin receptor activates a MYD88-ARNO-ARF6 cascade to disrupt vascular stability. Nature, 492(7428), 252-5.
  16. Monument MJ, Johnson KM, Grossmann AH, Schiffman JD, Randall RL, Lessnick SL (2012). Microsatellites with macro-influence in ewing sarcoma. Genes (Basel), 3(3), 444-60.
  17. Chan AC, Drakos SG, Ruiz OE, Smith AC, Gibson CC, Ling J, Passi SF, Stratman AN, Sacharidou A, Revelo MP, Grossmann AH, Diakos NA, Davis GE, Metzstein MM, Whitehead KJ, Li DY (2011). Mutations in 2 distinct genetic pathways result in cerebral cavernous malformations in mice. J Clin Invest, 121(5), 1871-81.
  18. Grossmann AH, Kolibaba KS, Willis SG, Corbin AS, Langdon WS, Deininger MW, Druker BJ (2004). Catalytic domains of tyrosine kinases determine the phosphorylation sites within c-Cbl. FEBS Lett, 577(3), 555-62.
  19. Gurtu VE, Verma S, Grossmann AH, Liskay RM, Skarnes WC, Baker SM (2002). Maternal effect for DNA mismatch repair in the mouse. Genetics, 160(1), 271-7.
  20. Baker SM, Harris AC, Tsao JL, Flath TJ, Bronner CE, Gordon M, Shibata D, Liskay RM (1998). Enhanced intestinal adenomatous polyp formation in Pms2-/-;Min mice. Cancer Res, 58(6), 1087-9.
  21. Prolla TA, Baker SM, Harris AC, Tsao JL, Yao X, Bronner CE, Zheng B, Gordon M, Reneker J, Arnheim N, Shibata D, Bradley A, Liskay RM (1998). Tumour susceptibility and spontaneous mutation in mice deficient in Mlh1, Pms1 and Pms2 DNA mismatch repair. Nat Genet, 18(3), 276-9.
  22. Baker SM, Plug AW, Prolla TA, Bronner CE, Harris AC, Yao X, Christie DM, Monell C, Arnheim N, Bradley A, Ashley T, Liskay RM (1996). Involvement of mouse Mlh1 in DNA mismatch repair and meiotic crossing over. Nat Genet, 13(3), 336-42.
Last Updated: 7/12/22