The current research of the Kurie Laboratory is centered on the investigation of mechanisms of lung cancer metastasis for the purpose of identifying novel therapeutic targets. Of foremost interest is to understand how the cellular and extracellular matrix constituents of the tumor microenvironment are controlled by tumor cells, and how signals from the microenvironment influence tumor cell behavior. In this effort, the Kurie lab uses cellular models, genetic mouse models of lung cancer that recapitulate key somatic genetic mutations and epigenetic events in tumor cells, and a tissue bank of molecularly and clinically annotated human lung cancers and matched normal lung. Dr. Kurie has been mentoring postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and technicians, and has received the Mentor of the Year Award at MD Anderson in 2012. He has been actively involved in the career development of several researchers, some of whom have gone on to establish them self as independent investigators and physician scientists.