
Andrew Goldstein, Ph.D.
Bio
Andrew Goldstein, Ph.D., investigates the role of epithelial progenitor cells in the formation of tumors and in the development of treatment-resistant cancer. Epithelial progenitor cells give rise to the cells that make up epithelial tissues, which line all of the organs and cavities inside the body. Previous research has established that normal prostate epithelial progenitor cells and aggressive prostate cancer cells possess similar characteristics. Goldstein studies epithelial progenitor cells in order to uncover the cellular and molecular changes that initiate prostate cancer and cause cancer progression and resistance to treatment. His research goals are to inform the development of new drugs that inhibit these changes and stop progression of the disease, as well as increase early detection of prostate cancer through improved screening methods.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. About one man in 39 will die of prostate cancer in his lifetime, and an estimated 180,000 new cases of the disease are reported annually in the United States. Goldstein’s research on prostate cancer began during his graduate work in the lab of Dr. Owen Witte, studying epithelial progenitor cells that can increase cancer risk. Goldstein and Witte’s work included the first demonstration of a cell-of-origin for human prostate cancer, a discovery that could lead to the development of better tools for prediction, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Goldstein has expanded the research to address the effects of aging and inflammation on epithelial progenitor cells that initiate cancer. His group discovered that a particular type of progenitor cell, called luminal progenitors, are expanded in aging mouse and human prostates and may contribute to the increased risk of prostate cancer with advanced age.
Goldstein also seeks to define metabolic regulators of progenitor cells and prostate cancer. As tumor cells develop resistance to standard therapies, they change their preferences for which nutrients they consume to fuel their growth. His lab is studying how to take advantage of this shift in nutrient requirements to starve the tumor cells and prevent the disease from progressing. This approach could lead to new therapeutic strategies to reduce the number of deaths from prostate cancer.
Goldstein earned his doctorate degree in molecular biology from UCLA.
Publications
- Expansion of Luminal Progenitor Cells in the Aging Mouse and Human ProstatePublished in Cell Reports on Tuesday, August 6, 2019
- CD38 is methylated in prostate cancer and regulates extracellular NAD+Published in Cancer & Metabolism on Friday, September 21, 2018
- Functional evidence that progenitor cells near sites of inflammation are precursors for aggressive prostate cancerPublished in Molecular & Cellular Oncology on Friday, January 13, 2017
- Multivariate Surprisal Analysis of Gene Expression LevelsPublished in Entropy on Sunday, December 11, 2016
- Low CD38 Identifies Progenitor-like Inflammation-Associated Luminal Cells that Can Initiate Human Prostate Cancer and Predict Poor OutcomePublished in Cell Reports on Tuesday, December 6, 2016
- Activation of Notch1 synergizes with multiple pathways in promoting castration-resistant prostate cancerPublished in PNAS on Tuesday, October 18, 2016
- The many ways to make a luminal cell and a prostate cancer cellPublished in Endocrine-Related Cancer on Tuesday, December 1, 2015
- Inflammation promotes prostate differentiationPublished in PNAS on Thursday, January 23, 2014
- Estrogen and progesterone together expand murine endometrial epithelial progenitor cellsPublished in Stem Cells on Sunday, March 24, 2013
- Regulated proteolysis of Trop2 drives epithelial hyperplasia and stem cell self-renewal via β-catenin signalingPublished in Genes and Development on Monday, October 15, 2012
- Cell-autonomous activation of the PI3-kinase pathway initiates endometrial cancer from adult uterine epitheliumPublished in PNAS on Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Honors & Affiliations
Honors
- JCCC-BSCRC Ablon Scholars Award, 2021
- Society for Basic Urologic Research Young Investigator Award, 2019
- Rose Hills Foundation Innovator Award, 2019
- American Cancer Society Giants of Science Hope Award, 2018
- Research Scholar Award, American Cancer Society, 2017
- Research Career Development Award, STOP Cancer, 2017
- Prostate Cancer Research Program Idea Development Award, U.S. Department of Defense, 2013
- Young Investigator Award, Prostate Cancer Foundation, 2011
- Margaret E. Early Medical Research Trust Award, 2016
Affiliations
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Funding
Goldstein’s work is funded by the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, the Department of Defense, the UCLA Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer and the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute.