Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke co-discovered cancer stem cells in solid tumors, identifying the CD44+/CD24-/low cell population in human breast cancers that possesses exclusive tumor-initiating capacity, fundamentally changing the conceptual framework for understanding tumor heterogeneity and therapy resistance. His work demonstrated that as few as 100 cancer stem cells could regenerate the entire tumor heterogeneity in immunodeficient mice while thousands of non-CSC cells could not. He has shown that conventional chemotherapy enriches for CSCs, explaining tumor recurrence after initial response. His research continues to identify druggable pathways that selectively target breast cancer stem cells.