Rosalyn Adam, PhD

Department	Urology
Hospital Title	Associate Director, Urology Research
Academic Title	Assistant Professor of Surgery
Phone	617-919-2019
Fax	617-730-0238
Email	Rosalyn Adam
Location	300 Longwood Avenue Enders-10 Boston MA 02115

Research Overview

Rosalyn Adam studies growth factor function within the context of urologic diseases such as prostate cancer, bladder cancer and bladder hypertrophy. Over the past 7 years, she and her colleagues and have identified novel functions for the protein heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) in two separate diseases of the genitourinary tract.

First, they showed that HB-EGF stimulates androgen-independent growth and neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. These are both critical processes in prostate cancer progression and implicate HB-EGF in the transition to hormone-refractory disease.

Second, they recently reported that a nuclear form of HB-EGF is associated with aggressive bladder cancer. This study is the first description of nuclear localization of HB-EGF in any cell type or tissue, and it strongly suggests a novel functional role for HB-EGF in the nucleus.

In addition to urologic oncology research, the Adam laboratory is also interested in understanding the regulation of gene expression in bladder smooth muscle cells exposed to so-called hypertrophic stimuli, such as mechanical stretch and growth factor stimulation. These studies relate to the mechanisms underlying pathologic remodeling of the bladder wall under conditions of urinary tract obstruction. Their ultimate goal is to identify critical signaling nodes that could be targeted for therapeutic benefit.

About Rosalyn Adam

Rosalyn Adam received her PhD from the University of Southampton in the UK. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Children's Hospital Boston.

Key Publications

• Adam RM, Roth JA, Cheng H-L, Rice DC, Khoury J, Bauer SB, Peters CA, and Freeman, M.R. (2003) Signaling through PI3K-Akt mediates stretch- and PDGF-BB-dependent DNA synthesis in bladder smooth muscle cells. J Urol 2003 169:2388-2393.

• Adam RM, Danciu T, McLellan DL, Borer JG, Lin J, Zurakowski D, Weinstein MH, Rajjayabun PH, Mellon JK, Freeman M.R. A nuclear form of the heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor precursor is a feature of aggressive transitional cell carcinoma. Cancer Research 2003; 63: 484-90.

• Adam RM, Kim J, Lin J, Orsola A, Rice DC, Freeman MR. Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor stimulates androgen-independent prostate tumor growth and antagonizes androgen receptor function. Endocrinology 2002; 143:4599-4608.