Dr. Peter H. Watson

Professor, Department of Pathology
Cross appointments to Department of Biochemistry and Human Genetics and Department of Physiology
Director Manitoba Breast Tumor Bank

Degrees:
B.A. Cambridge Univ., U.K., 1978
M.A. Cambridge Univ., U.K., 1982 
MB. B.Chir. Cambridge Univ., U.K., 1983 
FRCP(C) (Anatomic Pathology), Univ. of Manitoba, 1988 

Mailing Address:
Department of Pathology,
D212-770 Bannatyne Ave,
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W3.

Tel: (204) 789-3435   Fax: 789-3931   Lab: 789-3969  & 789-3647
E-mail: pwatson@cc.umanitoba.ca

Research Interests:

My research is focused on the molecular pathology of human breast cancer with an emphasis on translation of laboratory observations into clinical markers to improve on current diagnosis and management. The laboratory is integrated with the Manitoba Breast Tumor Bank which was established with help from many colleagues in 1993 to create a national resource to support translational research in Canada. The Bank contains over 5000 cases and has supported research projects in laboratories across Canada and the USA. The research in the laboratory is focused on early breast tumor progression. Our current understanding of this critical early stage in the process of progression towards lethal metastasis is very limited. We have focused on this critical problem over several years. We have used microdissection and molecular approaches to profile gene alterations in early pre-invasive and invasive breast lesions and coupled this with laboratory studies in cell and animal models to identify genes functional in this process. Current research projects in the laboratory are actively focused on a) gene expression profiling of ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) breast lesions b) functional and clinical studies of the role of the psoriasin (S100A7) gene and the downstream Jab1 pathway in early breast cancer c) analysis of alterations in ER signaling components and the molecular features and significance of hypoxia in breast lesions.

Selected Publications:

1. Adeyinka A, Nui Y, Cherlet T, Snell L, Watson PH, Murphy LC: Activated Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Expression during Human Breast Tumorigenesis and Breast Cancer Progression. Clin Cancer Res, 8:1747-1753, 2002
2.  Kurose K, Gilley K, Matsumoto S, Watson PH, Zhou XP, Eng C. Frequent somatic mutations in PTEN and TP53 are mutually exclusive in the stroma of breast carcinomas. Nature Genetics, Nov;32(3):355-7. 2002
3.  Adeyinka A, Emberley ED, Niu Y, Snell L, Murphy LC, Sowter H, Wykoff CC, Harris AL, Watson PH. Analysis of gene expression in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of the Breast. Clinical Cancer Research. Dec;8(12):3788-95. 2002
4. Troup S, Njue C, Kliewer E, Parisien M, Roskelley C, Chakravarti S, Roughley PJ, Murphy LC, Watson PH. Reduced expression of the small leucine-rich proteoglycans, Lumican and Decorin, is associated with poor outcome in node negative invasive breast cancer. Clinical Cancer Research Jan;9(1):207-14, 2003
5. Watson PH, Chia SK, Wykoff CC, Han C, Leek RD, Sly WS, Gatter KC, Ratcliffe P, Harris AL. “Carbonic Anhydrase XII is a marker of good prognosis in Invasive Breast Carcinoma.” Br J Cancer. 2003 Apr 7;88(7):1065-1070. 
6. Emberley ED, Niu Y, Leygue ER, Tomes L, Gietz RD, Murphy LC, Watson PH. Intracellular psoriasin interacts with Jab1 and influences breast cancer progression. Cancer Research Apr 15;63(8):1954-61.2003 
7. Emberley ED, Niu Y, Njue C, Kliewer EV, Murphy LC, Watson PH. Psoriasin (S100A7) expression is associated with poor outcome in estrogen receptor negative invasive breast cancer. Clinical Cancer Research Jul;9(7):2627-31. 2003 
8. Alowami S, Troup S, Al-Haddad S, Kirkpatrick I, Watson PH. Mammographic density is related to stroma and stromal proteoglycan expression. Breast Cancer Res.;5(5):R129-35. 2003 
9. Tomes L, Niu Y, Troup S, Pastorek J, Harris AL, Watson PH. Necrosis and hypoxia in invasive breast carcinoma. Breast Cancer Res & Treatment Sep;81(1):61-9. 2003
10. Murphy LC, Adeyinka A, Cherlet T, Niu Y, Snell L, Watson PH. Phospho-Serine-118 Estrogen Receptor-alpha Detection in Human Breast Tumors in vivo. Clinical Cancer Research 10, 1354-1359. 2004
    

PubMed Listed Publications

See also:
Pathology Webpage
Physiology Webpage
Biochemistry Webpage
Manitoba Breast Tumor Bank

Lab Members: