Research summary
Research applies large-scale tumor genomics, expression-based deconvolution, and signaling-pathway pharmacology to cancer. The ESTIMATE method used gene-expression signatures to infer the fraction of stromal and immune cells in tumor samples, with ESTIMATE scores correlated with DNA-copy-number-based tumor purity across samples from 11 different tumor types profiled on Agilent and Affymetrix platforms or by RNA sequencing in TCGA [1]. The TCGA Pan-Cancer initiative compared the first 12 tumor types profiled by the Research Network at DNA, RNA, protein, and epigenetic levels to derive an integrated picture of commonalities, differences, and emergent themes across tumor lineages, with a view to extending therapies effective in one cancer type to others with similar genomic profiles [2]. The TCGA characterization of urothelial bladder carcinoma analyzed 131 tumors and identified statistically significant recurrent mutations in 32 genes (including multiple cell-cycle regulators, chromatin regulators, and kinase-signaling components, plus 9 genes not previously reported as significantly mutated in any cancer), four RNA-sequencing-defined expression subtypes, and the molecular landscape relevant to targeted therapy in a disease previously lacking approved targeted agents [3]. A study on mTOR-inhibitor pharmacology in cancer cells showed that mTOR inhibition induced insulin receptor substrate-1 expression and abrogated the normal mTOR-dependent feedback downregulation of IRS-1, leading to upstream receptor-tyrosine-kinase signaling and activation of Akt; this provided a mechanism for the more modest antitumor activity of mTOR inhibitors in patients than in preclinical models with PI3K/Akt activation [4].
Recent publications
- Inferring tumour purity and stromal and immune cell admixture from expression dataDOI
- The Cancer Genome Atlas Pan-Cancer analysis projectDOI
- The Somatic Genomic Landscape of GlioblastomaDOI
- An Integrated TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource to Drive High-Quality Survival Outcome AnalyticsDOI
- Next-generation characterization of the Cancer Cell Line EncyclopediaDOI
- Use of proteomic patterns in serum to identify ovarian cancerDOI
- Comprehensive molecular characterization of urothelial bladder carcinomaDOI
- Exosomal PD-L1 contributes to immunosuppression and is associated with anti-PD-1 responseDOI
- Cell-of-Origin Patterns Dominate the Molecular Classification of 10,000 Tumors from 33 Types of CancerDOI
- mTOR Inhibition Induces Upstream Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling and Activates AktDOI
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How to apply
Email Gordon B. Mills 6-12 months before your application deadline. Read several recent papers and reference specific work in your message. Use our how to email a Japanese professor guide for the proven email structure.
For applications via MEXT scholarship: see our MEXT 2027 complete guide and university-specific University Recommendation track.
External profiles
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0144-9614
- OpenAlex: openalex.org
Profile compiled from public sources (Researchmap, OpenAlex, The University of Tokyo faculty directory). Last refreshed 2026-05. Report incorrect information.