Our Mission
My laboratory investigates the biology of estrogen receptors (ERs) in normal mammary gland and breast cancer. Our work has focused on functional characterization of the second estrogen receptor (ERβ) demonstrating its importance as mediator of differentiation in malignant epithelial cells and their microenvironment that is critical determinant of metastasis and therapy response. Our goal is to develop novel targeted therapies based on the discovery of new ER-associated molecular targets and by exploiting small activating molecules and RNA technology to augment ERβ signaling as a means to potentiate its anti-metastatic activity.
Associate Professor of Cancer Biology in Medicine, Academic Institute
Associate Member, Research Institute
Scientist, Research Institute
Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center
Houston Methodist
Christoforos Thomas, PhD, received his bachelor’s degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and pursued his doctoral training at the University of Ioannina Medical School in Greece (1998-2004) to study the redox regulation of cancer cell cycle progression. Dr. Thomas conducted postdoctoral research at Karolinska Institute in Sweden (2005-2009) to investigate the biology of estrogen receptors in cancer. He then joined the University of Houston’s Center of Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling as Research Assistant Professor (2010-2017) and after continuing as Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center he was recruited to Houston Methodist Research Institute in February 2022.