Prof. Sima Lev, Department of Molecular Cell Biology
sima.lev@weizmann.ac.il
The research of Prof. Sima Lev focuses on TBNC, or “triple negative” breast cancer – a hard-to-treat, aggressive tumor that lacks the three receptors that in other breast cancer types serve as targets for anti-cancer drugs. In her past research, Prof. Lev discovered that co-targeting of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase PYK2, which she originally discovered, together with the tyrosine kinase receptor EGFR, could have a therapeutic benefit for a subset of triple negative breast cancer patients. More recently, Prof. Lev developed sophisticated drug screens for multiple subtypes of TNBC, and identified potent combination therapies for, some of which could also overcome the resistance to chemotherapeutic agents linked to these various TNBC types. In addition to her continued work on TNBC therapeutic solutions and drug resistance, Prof. Lev investigates mechanisms associated with cancer metastasis.