
Andrew Goldstein, Ph.D.
Bio
Andrew Goldstein, Ph.D., investigates the interplay between inflammation, epithelial progenitor cells and the formation of tumors. 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 each year, and an estimated 180,000 new cases of the disease are reported annually in the United States. Goldstein’s research has always focused on prostate cancer; he completed 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 is expanding the research to address the effects of chronic prostate inflammation on epithelial progenitor cells that can initiate cancer.
Goldstein also seeks to define metabolic regulators of progenitor cells and prostate cancer. In particular, the lab is studying the role of a molecule called CD38, which may help to prevent aggressive prostate cancers. He is taking a number of approaches to understand why CD38 is present in non-aggressive prostate cancers and absent in most aggressive prostate cancers. Understanding how low CD38 levels affect the growth of prostate cancer tumors could lead to the development of improved screening methods. Goldstein believes that the CD38 molecule could be used as a biomarker to help clinicians predict which patients will have aggressive metastatic disease. Such early detection can reduce the number of unnecessary surgeries and inform specific treatment options.
Goldstein earned his doctorate degree in molecular biology at 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
- 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 UCLA Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Cancer Prostate Center and the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute.