I am finishing my postdoctoral studies where I have used animal models to understand how autophagy, a cellular stress pathway, in the tumor microenvironment contributes to solid tumor progression. I work with Jay Debnath, MD at the University of California, San Francisco, and I have previously been funded by the American Cancer Society, the Jean Perkins Foundation, and the UCSF IRACDA training program.
My overarching research interest is to understand the molecular biology of breast cancer and the tumor microenvironment, with a cancer disparities focus. My work centers on the most aggressive types of breast cancers (i.e. triple negative and metastatic breast cancers), patient populations lacking targeted therapies, and the synergy of major public health concerns with breast disease. I am also very passionate about mentoring and educating the next generation of biologists, and championing diversity in biomedical research.
I will be joining Department of Biology at San Diego State University starting Jan 2023 as an assistant professor, and look forward to growing my team shortly! Details to follow.
Contact Info
teresa.monkkonen@ucsf.edu
teresa.monkkonen@gmail.com
Pronouns: she/her/hers
@tmfiesta (Twitter)
LinkedIn
ResearchGate
OrcID
My overarching research interest is to understand the molecular biology of breast cancer and the tumor microenvironment, with a cancer disparities focus. My work centers on the most aggressive types of breast cancers (i.e. triple negative and metastatic breast cancers), patient populations lacking targeted therapies, and the synergy of major public health concerns with breast disease. I am also very passionate about mentoring and educating the next generation of biologists, and championing diversity in biomedical research.
I will be joining Department of Biology at San Diego State University starting Jan 2023 as an assistant professor, and look forward to growing my team shortly! Details to follow.
Contact Info
teresa.monkkonen@ucsf.edu
teresa.monkkonen@gmail.com
Pronouns: she/her/hers
@tmfiesta (Twitter)
ResearchGate
OrcID
Publications
1. Rudnick JA*, Monkkonen T*, Mar FA, Barnes JM, Starobinets H, Goldsmith J, Roy S, Bustamente Eguiguren S, Weaver VM, and Debnath J. Autophagy in stromal fibroblasts promotes tumor desmoplasia and mammary tumorigenesis. Genes and Dev. 2021 Link PMID: 34168038 *co-first authors
2. Monkkonen, T; Traustadottir, G; and Koledova, Z. Unraveling the Breast: Advances in Mammary Biology and Cancer Methods. J. of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia. 2021 PMID: 33479879 Link
3. Leidal AM, Huang HH, Marsh T, Solvik T, Zhang D, Ye J, Kai F, Goldsmith J, Liu JY, Huang YS, Monkkonen T, Vlahakis A, Huang EA, Goodarzi H, Yu L, Wiita AP, and Debnath J (2020). The LC3-Conjugation Machinery Specifies the Loading of RNA-binding Proteins into Extracellular Vesicles. Nature Cell Biology Link
4. Ren YA, Monkkonen T, Lewis MT, Bernard DJ, Christian HC, Jorgez CJ, Moore JA, Landua JD, Chin HM, Chen W, Singh S, Kim IS, Zhang XH, MacKay H, Waterland RA, Ljungberg MC, Saha PK, Hartig SM, Fiordelisio Coll T, Richards JS (2019). S100A4-Cre-mediated deletion of Patched1 causes hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: role of pituitary hematopoietic cells in endocrine regulation. JCI Insight 2:5. Link PMID: 31265437
5. Monkkonen T, Landua JD, Visbal AP, and Lewis MT (2017). Epithelial and Non-Epithelial Patched-1 (Ptch1) Play Opposing Roles to Regulate Proliferation and Morphogenesis of the Mouse Mammary Gland. Development (144):1317-1327. Link PMID: 28275010
6. Monkkonen T, and Debnath, J (2017). Inflammatory Signaling Cascades and Autophagy in Cancer. Autophagy. Link PMID: 28813180
7. Monkkonen T, and Lewis MT (2017). New Paradigms for the Hedgehog Signaling Network in Mammary Gland Development and Breast Cancer. BBA Reviews on Cancer. 1868: 315-322. Link PMID: 28624497
8. Zhang, Y, Oetting WS, Harvey SB, Stone MD, Monkkonen T, Matas AJ, Cosio FG, Nelsestuen GL (2009). Urinary Peptide Patterns in Native Kidneys and Kidney Allografts. Transplantation 87 (12): 1807-183. Link PMID: 19543057
9. Harvey SB, Zhang Y, Wilson-Grady J, Monkkonen T, Nelsestuen GL, Kasthuri RS, Verneris MR, Lund TC, Ely EW, Bernard GR, Zeisler H, Homoncik M, Jilma B, Swan T, Kellogg TA (2008) O-Glycoside Biomarker of Apolipoprotein C3: Responsiveness to Obesity, Bariatric Surgery, and Therapy with Metformin, to Chronic or Severe Liver Disease and to Mortality in Severe Sepsis and Graft vs Host Disease. J Proteome Res 8 (2):603–612. Link PMID: 19055479
2. Monkkonen, T; Traustadottir, G; and Koledova, Z. Unraveling the Breast: Advances in Mammary Biology and Cancer Methods. J. of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia. 2021 PMID: 33479879 Link
3. Leidal AM, Huang HH, Marsh T, Solvik T, Zhang D, Ye J, Kai F, Goldsmith J, Liu JY, Huang YS, Monkkonen T, Vlahakis A, Huang EA, Goodarzi H, Yu L, Wiita AP, and Debnath J (2020). The LC3-Conjugation Machinery Specifies the Loading of RNA-binding Proteins into Extracellular Vesicles. Nature Cell Biology Link
4. Ren YA, Monkkonen T, Lewis MT, Bernard DJ, Christian HC, Jorgez CJ, Moore JA, Landua JD, Chin HM, Chen W, Singh S, Kim IS, Zhang XH, MacKay H, Waterland RA, Ljungberg MC, Saha PK, Hartig SM, Fiordelisio Coll T, Richards JS (2019). S100A4-Cre-mediated deletion of Patched1 causes hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: role of pituitary hematopoietic cells in endocrine regulation. JCI Insight 2:5. Link PMID: 31265437
5. Monkkonen T, Landua JD, Visbal AP, and Lewis MT (2017). Epithelial and Non-Epithelial Patched-1 (Ptch1) Play Opposing Roles to Regulate Proliferation and Morphogenesis of the Mouse Mammary Gland. Development (144):1317-1327. Link PMID: 28275010
6. Monkkonen T, and Debnath, J (2017). Inflammatory Signaling Cascades and Autophagy in Cancer. Autophagy. Link PMID: 28813180
7. Monkkonen T, and Lewis MT (2017). New Paradigms for the Hedgehog Signaling Network in Mammary Gland Development and Breast Cancer. BBA Reviews on Cancer. 1868: 315-322. Link PMID: 28624497
8. Zhang, Y, Oetting WS, Harvey SB, Stone MD, Monkkonen T, Matas AJ, Cosio FG, Nelsestuen GL (2009). Urinary Peptide Patterns in Native Kidneys and Kidney Allografts. Transplantation 87 (12): 1807-183. Link PMID: 19543057
9. Harvey SB, Zhang Y, Wilson-Grady J, Monkkonen T, Nelsestuen GL, Kasthuri RS, Verneris MR, Lund TC, Ely EW, Bernard GR, Zeisler H, Homoncik M, Jilma B, Swan T, Kellogg TA (2008) O-Glycoside Biomarker of Apolipoprotein C3: Responsiveness to Obesity, Bariatric Surgery, and Therapy with Metformin, to Chronic or Severe Liver Disease and to Mortality in Severe Sepsis and Graft vs Host Disease. J Proteome Res 8 (2):603–612. Link PMID: 19055479
Research Projects and Mentors
8/2016- present: Jayanta Debnath, MD (Chair and Associate Professor)
Dept. of Pathology
University of California, San Francisco
I am investigating the role of autophagy in vascular development, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. I am also working on a project on autophagy in cancer-associated fibroblasts using a mammary tumor model.
2010-2016: Michael T. Lewis, PhD
Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
I studied the effects of conditional ablation of Patched 1 in the mammary epithelium, and in stromal cell types with respect to virgin mammary gland development. I also collaborated with JoAnne Richards, PhD and Yi Athena Ren, PhD at BCM to define stromal functions of Patched 1 in ovarian development and ovulation.
Dissertation title: Epithelial, Stromal, and Systemic Functions of Patched 1 in Mammary Gland Development.
2007-2008: Gary L. Nelsestuen, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
I applied proteomic techniques (MALDI-TOF) to interrogate changes to plasma and urine proteomes of patients with different metabolic diseases.
2006-2007: James A. McNew, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston TX
I completed a senior honors thesis studying C. elegans SNARE proteins and vesicle fusion using reconstituted liposomes.
Dept. of Pathology
University of California, San Francisco
I am investigating the role of autophagy in vascular development, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. I am also working on a project on autophagy in cancer-associated fibroblasts using a mammary tumor model.
2010-2016: Michael T. Lewis, PhD
Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
I studied the effects of conditional ablation of Patched 1 in the mammary epithelium, and in stromal cell types with respect to virgin mammary gland development. I also collaborated with JoAnne Richards, PhD and Yi Athena Ren, PhD at BCM to define stromal functions of Patched 1 in ovarian development and ovulation.
Dissertation title: Epithelial, Stromal, and Systemic Functions of Patched 1 in Mammary Gland Development.
2007-2008: Gary L. Nelsestuen, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
I applied proteomic techniques (MALDI-TOF) to interrogate changes to plasma and urine proteomes of patients with different metabolic diseases.
2006-2007: James A. McNew, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston TX
I completed a senior honors thesis studying C. elegans SNARE proteins and vesicle fusion using reconstituted liposomes.
