Michael Forgac PhD

Dr. Michael Forgac our laboratory is focused on understanding the regulation and function of the vacuolar ATPases (V-ATPases) in normal and disease processes. The V-ATPases are a family of ATP-driven proton pumps that function in such processes as intracellular membrane traffic, bone resorption, and renal acidification, as well as in many disease processes, including viral infection, bone disease, and cancer. Our laboratory is employing a variety of biochemical, genetic, and cell biological approaches to understand how the assembly of the V-ATPases is regulated in mammalian cells and the role that V-ATPases play in nutrient sensing and energy homeostasis. In particular, we are interested in their role in controlling two central regulators of cell growth and metabolism, namely AMPK and mTOR. We are also investigating the role of V-ATPases in tumor cell invasion and survival using both in vitro cell culture models and in vivo mouse models, with the ultimate aim of developing therapeutic agents to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis.