Andrew C. Hsieh

About Andrew C. Hsieh

Decades of research have revealed the cascade of signaling events that are in part responsible for the initiation and progression of cancer. These molecular pathways are mediated through complex array of proteins called signaling molecules. The PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway is one such signaling pathway that has been identified as being critical to prostate cancer progression. However, currently available medicines that can block this pathway, such as Rapamyacin, have shown disappointing results in the treatment of prostate cancer. Dr. Hsieh has discovered that the current medicines targeting the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway do not effectively impede the activity of an integral member of the pathway mTOR. Therefore, cancer-causing signaling is not blocked. He has identified a new molecule that is a potent inhibitor of mTOR activity. This award will support preclinical studies of this novel molecule that will accelerate its translation in to the clinic for patients with advanced prostate cancer.