Randal Kaufman

Randal Kaufman has spent decades elucidating the three arms of the unfolded protein response — IRE1, PERK, and ATF6 — and their roles in cancer biology, proteostasis, and therapeutic resistance. His laboratory characterized how IRE1-XBP1 signaling, PERK-eIF2alpha-ATF4, and ATF6 pathways coordinate adaptive and apoptotic decisions under ER stress. He demonstrated that cancer cells exploit UPR pathways for survival under hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, and proteotoxic stress. His work provides the molecular framework for therapeutic targeting of UPR branches in cancer.