Welcome to the Mahlon Johnson Lab
My lab studies leptomeningeal diseases especially meningeal neoplasia. Our emphasis in the past has been on identifying the role of growth factor/growth factor receptor expression and downstream signaling in the pathogenesis of meningiomas. This has included, for the first time, identifying expression and possible roles for the transforming growth factor beta superfamily, MEK-1- MAPK and PI3K-Akt pathways. We have also evaluated cerebrospinal effects on the leptomeningeal and meningioma cell proliferation. Additional studies have evaluated the expression and roles of mesothelin in the leptomeninges, metastases to the leptomeninges and in meningiomas.
We are currently working on the following projects:
- Mechanisms of meningiomas invasion
- Characterization of metaplastic meningiomas
- Non-meningioma dural tumors