Sharon Stack

Research Interests

My laboratory has focused for many years on regulation of metastasis, with specific emphasis on the role of cell adhesion and matrix remodeling in two tumor models: epithelial ovarian cancer (OvCa) and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (OSCC). Metastatic OvCa cells colonize the peritoneal cavity following dissemination from the ovarian surface, survival in suspension as multicellular aggregates (MCAs) in carcinomatous ascites fluid, attachment to the peritoneal surface, and localized invasion into the sub-mesothelial matrix to anchor secondary lesions. We have developed a number of in vitro 3-dimensional and organotypic models of key events in OvCa metastasis with which to evaluate the effect of various cellular and micro-environmental manipulations on metastatic success with an overarching focus on adhesion (cell-matrix and cell-cell) and matrix proteolysis (pericellular and extracellular remodeling). We have used organotypic mesothelial-mimetic (meso-mimetic) cultures comprised of fibroblast-embedded 3D collagen gels overlaid with mesothelial cells as well as ex vivo tissue explant models of the peritoneum and omentum. Additionally, we have focused extensively on xenograft and allograft studies of OvCa intra-peritoneal metastasis, with particular emphasis on the use of advanced imaging methods to accurately quantify widely disseminated intra-peritoneal metastatic burden. Ongoing projects are aimed toward elucidating the contribution of host factors such as obesity, age, and parity to OvCa metastatic success. We are also examining the role of extracellular vesicles (exosomes, both tumor and host) in these processes. In our oral cancer research, we are currently focused on cancer of the oropharynx associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (HPV-OPSCC). We are using a panel of in vitro analysis together with an ex vivo tonsillar explant model to define the biological function of microRNAs, induced in host cells by an onogenic HPV infection, in progression of OPSCC. Within this framework, understanding the multiple micro-environmental cues that contribute to metastatic success is a major focus of the laboratory.

Selected Publications

• Guo, F. F.; Littlepage, L. E.; Stack, M. S. and Li, J. "Molecular Profiling of Breast Cancer in Native American Women Reveals Distinct Genomic and Transcriptomic Features" 2026 NPJ Precision Oncology, 10 (1), 175. DOI: 10.1038/s41698-026-01373-6.
• Bodogai, M.; Park, B.; Braikia, F. Z.; Naqing, F.; Kumaraswami, K.; Chen, C.; Ragonnaud, E.; Stack, S.; Ormanns, S.; Guenther, M.; Ishikawa-Ankerhold, H.; De, S.; Ferrucci, L.; Sen, R.; Duren, Z.; Beerman, I. and Biragyn, A. "A Distinct Population of CD8⁺ T Cells Expressing CD39 and CD73 Accumulates with Age and Supports Cancer Progression" 2025 Nature Aging, 5 (10), pp.2055–2069. DOI: 10.1038/s43587-025-00966-3.
• Safavi-Sohi, R.; Johnson, J.; Liu, Y. Y.; Yang, J.; Hilliard, T. S.; Wang, Z. K.; Barile, C.; Mijares, J.; Wang, C. M.; Chang, H. C.; Whelan, R. J. and Stack, M. S. "Peritoneal Cavity-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles from Aged Tumor-Naïve Hosts Promote Ovarian Cancer Adhesion and Invasion" 2025 Cell Communication and Signaling, 23 (1), 308. DOI: 10.1186/s12964-025-02273-1.
• Yang, J.; Hawthorne, L.; Stack, S.; Blagg, B.; Ali, A. and Zorlutuna, P. "Engineered Age-Mimetic Breast Cancer Models Reveal Differential Drug Responses in Young and Aged Microenvironments" 2025 Advanced Healthcare Materials, 14 (7), 2404461. DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202404461.
• Sjoerdsma, J. N.; Bromley, E. K.; Shin, J.; Hilliard, T.; Liu, Y. Y.; Horgan, C.; Hwang, G.; Bektas, M.; Omstead, D.; Kiziltepe, T.; Stack, M. S. and Bilgicer, B. "Combination Non-Targeted and sGRP78-Targeted Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Outperforms either Component to Treat Metastatic Ovarian Cancer" 2024 Journal of Controlled Release, 375 pp.438–453. DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.09.014.
• Zhao, Y.; Liu, Z. S.; Liu, G. Q.; Zhang, Y. T.; Liu, S.; Gan, D. L.; Chang, W. N.; Peng, X. X.; Sung, E. S.; Gilbert, K.; Zhu, Y. N.; Wang, X. C.; Zeng, Z. Y.; Baldwin, H.; Ren, G. Z.; Weaver, J.; Huron, A.; Mayberry, T.; Wang, Q. F.; Wang, Y. J.; Diaz-Rubio, M. E.; Su, X. Y.; Stack, M. S.; Zhang, S. Y.; Lu, X. M.; Sheldon, R. D.; Li, J.; Zhang, C.; Wan, J. and Lu, X. "Neutrophils Resist Ferroptosis and Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis through Aconitate Decarboxylase 1" 2023 Cell Metabolism, 35 (10), pp.1688-1703. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.09.004.