Anna Dimberg – Tumour vascular biology
The aim of our research is to understand how vessel phenotype is altered in tumours, and how the abnormal vasculature affects the tumour microenvironment and the response to different types of cancer therapy. A main interest is to investigate how differential gene expression in tumour endothelial cells affects immune response and tumour progression. The long-term goal is to identify vascular targeting strategies that can be used to improve the response to cancer therapy, including immunotherapy.
Blood vessel formation and inflammation are closely linked processes that affect the clinical outcome of several pathological conditions, including cancer. Endothelial cells, lining the inside of vessels, are central players in both these processes. They initiate the formation of new vessels after growth factor stimulation and regulate extravasation of inflammatory cells from the blood stream into the tissue. Endothelial cells also play a central role in the organization of immune hubs.
We are combining studies in human tumour tissues with experimental cancer models and in vitro cell culture assays to understand the role of the tumour vessels in organising the tumour microenvironment. Our new knowledge is used to develop new strategies to treat cancer.

Group members
Publications
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Endothelial cell-released CD93 contributes to podocyte injury in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome
Part of Science Translational Medicine, 2026
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Part of British Journal of Cancer, p. 1730-1743, 2026
- DOI for Podoplanin-defined tumour plasticity and CCR7-mediated lymphatic metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer
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Tertiary lymphoid structures in the era of cancer therapy
Part of Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, 2026
- DOI for Tertiary lymphoid structures in the era of cancer therapy
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Keeping Wnt in check for efficient checkpoint blockade in glioblastoma
Part of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2025
- DOI for Keeping Wnt in check for efficient checkpoint blockade in glioblastoma
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Part of Cell Reports, 2025
- DOI for KRIT1 heterozygous mutations are sufficient to induce a pathological phenotype in patient-derived iPSC models of cerebral cavernous malformation
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Lack of ST2 aggravates glioma invasiveness, vascular abnormality, and immune suppression
Part of Neuro-Oncology Advances, 2025
- DOI for Lack of ST2 aggravates glioma invasiveness, vascular abnormality, and immune suppression
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News from the T cell trogocytosis front
Part of Trends in immunology, p. 677-689, 2025
- DOI for News from the T cell trogocytosis front
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Part of STAR Protocols, 2025
- DOI for Protocol for generation of endothelial cells from human-derived iPSCs and integration into mouse brain explants
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Part of Science immunology, 2025
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CD93 maintains endothelial barrier function and limits metastatic dissemination
Part of JCI Insight, 2024
- DOI for CD93 maintains endothelial barrier function and limits metastatic dissemination
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Single-cell dissection of the human blood-brain barrier and glioma blood-tumor barrier
Part of Neuron, 2024
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Vascular characterization reveals immunomodulatory targets for brain metastases
Part of Cancer Cell, p. 328-330, 2024
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VLDLR mediates Semliki Forest virus neuroinvasion through the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier
Part of Nature Communications, 2024
- DOI for VLDLR mediates Semliki Forest virus neuroinvasion through the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier
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Part of The FASEB Journal, 2023
- DOI for CD93 maintains endothelial barrier function by limiting the phosphorylation and turnover of VE-cadherin
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Complementarity-determining region clustering may cause CAR-T cell dysfunction
Part of Nature Communications, 2023
- DOI for Complementarity-determining region clustering may cause CAR-T cell dysfunction
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Part of International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, p. 453-464, 2023
- DOI for Dimerization of the C-type lectin-like receptor CD93 promotes its binding to Multimerin-2 in endothelial cells
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Editorial: The blood-brain barrier in brain tumors: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies
Part of Frontiers in Neurology, 2023
- DOI for Editorial: The blood-brain barrier in brain tumors: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies
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Part of Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2023
- DOI for Endothelial VEGFR2-PLCγ signaling regulates vascular permeability and antitumor immunity through eNOS/Src
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Of mice and lymphoid aggregates: modeling tertiary lymphoid structures in cancer
Part of Frontiers in Immunology, 2023
- DOI for Of mice and lymphoid aggregates: modeling tertiary lymphoid structures in cancer
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Tailoring vascular phenotype through AAV therapy promotes anti-tumor immunity in glioma
Part of Cancer Cell, p. 1134-1151, 2023
- DOI for Tailoring vascular phenotype through AAV therapy promotes anti-tumor immunity in glioma
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Wnt signaling regulates MFSD2A-dependent drug delivery through endothelial transcytosis in glioma
Part of Neuro-Oncology, p. 1073-1084, 2023
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A method for Boolean analysis of protein interactions at a molecular level
Part of Nature Communications, 2022
- DOI for A method for Boolean analysis of protein interactions at a molecular level
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Tertiary Lymphoid Structures: From Basic Biology to Translational Impact in Cancer. Editorial
Part of Frontiers in Immunology, 2022
- DOI for Tertiary Lymphoid Structures: From Basic Biology to Translational Impact in Cancer. Editorial
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Part of Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, p. 2029-2040, 2022
- DOI for Vaccination against galectin-1 promotes cytotoxic T-cell infiltration in melanoma and reduces tumor burden
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Part of Cellular Oncology, p. 193-204, 2021
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Part of Nature Communications, 2021
- DOI for Agonistic CD40 therapy induces tertiary lymphoid structures but impairs responses to checkpoint blockade in glioma
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Part of Science Translational Medicine, 2021
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CD93 Signaling via Rho Proteins Drives Cytoskeletal Remodeling in Spreading Endothelial Cells
Part of International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021
- DOI for CD93 Signaling via Rho Proteins Drives Cytoskeletal Remodeling in Spreading Endothelial Cells
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Part of Cancers, 2021
- DOI for Deletions on Chromosome Y and Downregulation of the SRY Gene in Tumor Tissue Are Associated with Worse Survival of Glioblastoma Patients
- Download full text (pdf) of Deletions on Chromosome Y and Downregulation of the SRY Gene in Tumor Tissue Are Associated with Worse Survival of Glioblastoma Patients
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Part of Neuro-Oncology, p. 398-411, 2021
- DOI for ELTD1-deletion reduces vascular abnormality and improves T-cell recruitment after PD-1 blockade in glioma.
- Download full text (pdf) of ELTD1-deletion reduces vascular abnormality and improves T-cell recruitment after PD-1 blockade in glioma.
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Part of MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS, p. 37-46, 2021
- DOI for IFN-I-tolerant oncolytic Semliki Forest virus in combination with anti-PD1 enhances T cell response against mouse glioma
- Download full text (pdf) of IFN-I-tolerant oncolytic Semliki Forest virus in combination with anti-PD1 enhances T cell response against mouse glioma
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Part of JCI Insight, 2021
- DOI for Key molecular alterations in endothelial cells in human glioblastoma uncovered through single-cell RNA sequencing
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Part of Matrix Biology, p. 1-17, 2021
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Part of Development, 2020
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Platelet-Specific PDGFB Ablation Impairs Tumor Vessel Integrity and Promotes Metastasis
Part of Cancer Research, p. 3345-3358, 2020
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The Binding of CD93 to Multimerin-2 Promotes Choroidal Neovascularization
Part of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 2020
- DOI for The Binding of CD93 to Multimerin-2 Promotes Choroidal Neovascularization
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Tumor angiogenesis: causes, consequences, challenges and opportunities
Part of Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS), p. 1745-1770, 2020
- DOI for Tumor angiogenesis: causes, consequences, challenges and opportunities
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Part of Oncoimmunology, 2020
- DOI for Tumor endothelial cell up-regulation of IDO1 is an immunosuppressive feed-back mechanism that reduces the response to CD40-stimulating immunotherapy
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Tumor endothelial ELTD1 as a predictive marker for treatment of renal cancer patients with sunitinib
Part of BMC Cancer, 2020
- DOI for Tumor endothelial ELTD1 as a predictive marker for treatment of renal cancer patients with sunitinib
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Part of Cancers, 2019
- DOI for Coagulation Factor Xa Promotes Solid Tumor Growth, Experimental Metastasis and Endothelial Cell Activation
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Part of European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, p. 569-579, 2019
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Part of Cell Communication and Signaling, 2019
- DOI for The small GTPase Rab5c is a key regulator of trafficking of the CD93/Multimerin-2/1 integrin complex in endothelial cell adhesion and migration
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Bones in human CYP26B1 deficiency and rats with hypervitaminosis A phenocopy Vegfa overexpression
Part of Bone Reports, p. 27-36, 2018
- DOI for Bones in human CYP26B1 deficiency and rats with hypervitaminosis A phenocopy Vegfa overexpression
- Download full text (pdf) of Bones in human CYP26B1 deficiency and rats with hypervitaminosis A phenocopy Vegfa overexpression
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CD93 promotes β1 integrin activation and fibronectin fibrillogenesis during tumor angiogenesis
Part of Journal of Clinical Investigation, p. 3280-3297, 2018
- DOI for CD93 promotes β1 integrin activation and fibronectin fibrillogenesis during tumor angiogenesis
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Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays
Part of Angiogenesis, p. 425-532, 2018
- DOI for Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays
- Download full text (pdf) of Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays
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Part of Neuro-Oncology, p. 1505-1516, 2018
- DOI for IDH mutation status is associated with distinct vascular gene expression signatures in lower-grade gliomas
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Osteoglycin - A switch from angiogenesis to T-cell recruitment?
Part of EBioMedicine, p. 22-23, 2018
- DOI for Osteoglycin - A switch from angiogenesis to T-cell recruitment?
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Vascular Targeting to Increase the Efficiency of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cancer
Part of Frontiers in Immunology, 2018
- DOI for Vascular Targeting to Increase the Efficiency of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cancer
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Activating CD40 While Inhibiting IL6R Induces Cytokine Production without PDL1 Upregulation in DCs
Part of Molecular Therapy, p. 54-54, 2017
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Part of Gene Therapy, p. 92-103, 2017
- DOI for Activation of myeloid and endothelial cells by CD40L gene therapy supports T-cell expansion and migration into the tumor microenvironment
- Download full text (pdf) of Activation of myeloid and endothelial cells by CD40L gene therapy supports T-cell expansion and migration into the tumor microenvironment
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Part of European Journal of Immunology, p. 385-393, 2017
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Part of Oncoimmunology, 2017
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Part of Clinical Cancer Research, p. 1519-1530, 2017
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Part of Clinical Cancer Research, p. 5846-5857, 2017
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Part of Seminars in Cancer Biology, p. 23-35, 2017
- DOI for The cancer-immunity cycle as rational design for synthetic cancer drugs: Novel DC vaccines and CAR T-cells
- Download full text (pdf) of The cancer-immunity cycle as rational design for synthetic cancer drugs: Novel DC vaccines and CAR T-cells
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Part of BMC Cancer, 2016
- DOI for ANLN is a prognostic biomarker independent of Ki-67 and essential for cell cycle progression in primary breast cancer
- Download full text (pdf) of ANLN is a prognostic biomarker independent of Ki-67 and essential for cell cycle progression in primary breast cancer
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Heparanase Promotes Glioma Progression and is Inversely Correlated with Patient Survival.
Part of Molecular Cancer Research, p. 1243-1253, 2016
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Part of Oncotarget, p. 80382-80390, 2016
- DOI for Pleiotrophin enhances PDGFB-induced gliomagenesis through increased proliferation of neural progenitor cells
- Download full text (pdf) of Pleiotrophin enhances PDGFB-induced gliomagenesis through increased proliferation of neural progenitor cells
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Pleiotrophin is a driver of vascular abnormalization in glioblastoma
Part of Molecular & Cellular Oncology, 2016
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Part of Oncotarget, p. 50277-50289, 2016
- DOI for Sunitinib enhances the antitumor responses of agonistic CD40-antibody by reducing MDSCs and synergistically improving endothelial activation and T-cell recruitment
- Download full text (pdf) of Sunitinib enhances the antitumor responses of agonistic CD40-antibody by reducing MDSCs and synergistically improving endothelial activation and T-cell recruitment
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Part of Oncoimmunology, 2016
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Part of Cancer Research, p. 4504-4516, 2015
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Part of Cancer Research, p. 2653-2662, 2015
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Next-Generation Pathology: Surveillance of Tumor Microecology
Part of Journal of Molecular Biology, p. 2013-2022, 2015
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Part of Science Signaling, 2015
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Tumor-Induced Local and Systemic Impact on Blood Vessel Function
Part of Mediators of Inflammation, 2015
- DOI for Tumor-Induced Local and Systemic Impact on Blood Vessel Function
- Download full text (pdf) of Tumor-Induced Local and Systemic Impact on Blood Vessel Function
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Part of The FASEB Journal, p. 227-238, 2015
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Part of Cancer Gene Therapy, p. 95-102, 2014
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Part of Angiogenesis, p. 769-769, 2014
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Subtyping of gliomas of various WHO grades by the application of immunohistochemistry
Part of Histopathology, p. 365-379, 2014
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The glioblastoma vasculature as a target for cancer therapy
Part of Biochemical Society Transactions, p. 1647-1652, 2014
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Therapeutic vaccination against fibronectin ED-A attenuates progression of metastatic breast cancer.
Part of Oncotarget, p. 12418-12427, 2014
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Part of The FASEB Journal, p. 151-162, 2013
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Part of Angiogenesis, p. 975-983, 2013
- DOI for alpha B-crystallin/HspB5 regulates endothelial-leukocyte interactions by enhancing NF-kappa B-induced up-regulation of adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin
- Download full text (pdf) of alpha B-crystallin/HspB5 regulates endothelial-leukocyte interactions by enhancing NF-kappa B-induced up-regulation of adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin
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Part of Nature Communications, p. 1672, 2013
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Part of PLOS ONE, 2012
- DOI for GABA-A Channel Subunit Expression in Human Glioma Correlates with Tumor Histology and Clinical Outcome
- Download full text (pdf) of GABA-A Channel Subunit Expression in Human Glioma Correlates with Tumor Histology and Clinical Outcome
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Part of Developmental Dynamics, p. 770-786, 2012
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Part of BMC Cancer, p. 318, 2012
- DOI for Stat1 activation attenuates IL-6 induced Stat3 activity but does not alter apoptosis sensitivity in multiple myeloma
- Download full text (pdf) of Stat1 activation attenuates IL-6 induced Stat3 activity but does not alter apoptosis sensitivity in multiple myeloma
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Part of Journal of Pathology, p. 378-390, 2012
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Part of Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, p. 538-548, 2011
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Part of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, p. 59-80, 2010
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Part of Molecular Cancer Research, p. 1792-1802, 2009
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Part of The FASEB Journal, p. 1490-1502, 2009
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Part of Blood, p. 2015-2023, 2008
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Part of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, p. 2123-2130, 2008
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Endocan is a VEGF-A and PI3K regulated gene with increased expression in human renal cancer
Part of Experimental Cell Research, p. 1285-1294, 2007
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FGFR-1 regulates angiogenesis through cytokines interleukin-4 and pleiotrophin
Part of Blood, p. 4214-4222, 2007
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Part of Molecular Immunology, p. 615-624, 2007
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Part of Stem Cells, p. 2987-2995, 2007
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Part of Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, p. 271-279, 2006
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VEGF receptor signalling: in control of vascular function
Part of Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology, p. 359-371, 2006
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Part of Blood, p. 1346-1354, 2005
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Part of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, p. 944-949, 2005
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Part of J Biol Chem, p. 42397-404, 2005
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VEGF receptor-2 Y951 signaling and a role for the adapter molecule TSAd in tumor angiogenesis.
Part of EMBO J, p. 2342-53, 2005
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Rapamycin sensitizes multiple myeloma cells to apoptosis induced by dexamethasone.
Part of Blood, p. 3138-47, 2004
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Retinoic acid-induced cell cycle arrest of human myeloid cell lines.
Part of Leuk Lymphoma, p. 1641, 2003
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Part of Blood, p. 254, 2003
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Part of Blood, p. 2199, 2002
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Part of Blood, p. 2870, 2000