Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology
Ratner Lab

Ratner Research Lab

The long-term interest of the Ratner Research Laboratory is to define the interactions between glial cells and axons during nervous system development, and to learn how those interactions go awry in disease, with the goal of providing novel therapies to patients with nervous system disease. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an inherited autosomal dominant disorder (1:3,500 humans) that involves the formation of nerve-associated tumors and other non-tumor related problems. Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) involves the development of schwannomas, benign tumors composed of Schwann cells (peripheral glial cells). Elucidating the mechanisms by which the nerve-associated tumors arise in both diseases can lead not only to the development of therapy for NF1 and NF2 patients, but also can prove useful in providing information about cancers that arise in the general population, especially given that NF1 mutations are found in about 10% of cancers in the general population.

Science Blog

Ratner Honored for Career Contributions to NF1 Research
Rare Diseases

Ratner Honored for Career Contributions to NF1 Research

Nancy Ratner, PhD12/6/2024

Inhibiting MEK Protein Shrinks NF1 Plexiform Tumors
Cancer

Inhibiting MEK Protein Shrinks NF1 Plexiform Tumors

Nancy Ratner, PhD6/30/2019

Nancy Ratner.
Click to enlarge.

Contact Us

For more information about the lab, contact Nancy Ratner, PhD, at 513-636-9469. 

In the News

"In tests on mice, MEK inhibition significantly shrunk more than 80 percent of plexiform neurofibromas – the nerve tumors caused by NF1. The data were so compelling that researchers reported the study provided “strong rationale” for testing the drug in a clinical trial."

Read the entire article in Research Horizons.

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