Our laboratory is interested in growth factors and their transmembrane receptors, as well as the ways they contribute to all steps of tumor progression, especially metastasis. This is because the information relay system involved in growth factor signaling provides potential sites for signal interception and tumor inhibition using targeted drugs. Along the metastasis cascade, we focus on the initial steps of intravasation into blood/lymph vessels and the reversible transition from the epithelial to mesenchymal phenotypes. This includes the final re-epithelialization step and the establishment of secondary-tumor dormancy. Our studies make extensive use of antibodies and kinase inhibitors to both decipher mechanisms of drug action and select effective drug combinations. One major effort of the lab is devoted to processes that confer secondary resistance to anti-cancer drugs, such as EGFR inhibitors, especially therapy-induced secondary mutagenesis.