Joan Massague

Joan Massague has defined the molecular basis of metastatic organ tropism and dormancy, identifying gene signatures that mediate breast cancer metastasis to specific organs including brain, bone, and lung, and discovering how dormant disseminated cells are reactivated at metastatic sites. His identification of L1CAM as a marker of metastatic reactivation showed that dormant cells must activate a wound-healing-like program to colonize distant tissues. He demonstrated that TGF-beta signaling plays context-dependent roles in metastasis, suppressing primary tumor growth but promoting metastatic colonization. His comprehensive molecular framework for the metastatic cascade has transformed understanding of cancer dissemination.