Raghu Kalluri

Raghu Kalluri has made fundamental contributions to understanding how ECM components, particularly hyaluronic acid, regulate tumor biology and drug resistance, and has characterized the roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts in ECM production and remodeling. His work on tumor-derived exosomes revealed that they carry ECM-remodeling enzymes that prepare distant organs for metastatic colonization. He has provided critical insights into basement membrane biology and how its degradation enables tumor invasion and metastasis. His research on the heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts has refined understanding of which stromal populations are pro-tumorigenic versus tumor-restraining.