Meghan Ann Tucker

Title: Innovations by Meghan Ann Tucker

Introduction

Meghan Ann Tucker is an accomplished inventor based in Salem, MA (US). She has made significant contributions to the field of cancer research, particularly through her innovative patents. With a total of three patents to her name, her work focuses on the identification and treatment of lung cancer and other human cancers.

Latest Patents

One of her latest patents is titled "ROS kinase in lung cancer." This invention provides the identification of the presence of polypeptides with ROS kinase activity in mammalian lung cancer. In some embodiments, the polypeptide with ROS kinase activity results from a fusion between a ROS-encoding polynucleotide and a polynucleotide encoding a second (non-ROS) polypeptide. Three different fusion partners of ROS are described, namely proteins encoded by the FIG gene, the SLC34A2 gene, and the CD74 gene. This invention enables new methods for determining the presence of a polypeptide with ROS kinase activity in a biological sample, methods for screening for compounds that inhibit the proteins, and methods for inhibiting the progression of cancer, particularly lung cancer.

Another significant patent is "Mutant ROS expression in human cancer." This invention identifies the presence of mutant ROS protein in human cancer. In some embodiments, the mutant ROS comprises FIG-ROS fusion proteins, which include part of the FIG protein fused to the kinase domain of the ROS kinase. The mutant ROS is characterized by the overexpression of wild-type ROS in cancerous tissues where, in normal tissue of that same type, ROS is not expressed or is expressed at lower levels. The mutant ROS proteins are anticipated to drive the proliferation and survival of a subgroup of human cancers, particularly in cancers of the liver, pancreas, kidney, and testes. This invention provides isolated polynucleotides and vectors encoding the disclosed mutant ROS polypeptides, probes for detecting them, and methods for inhibiting the progression of cancer characterized by these mutant polynucleotides or polypeptides.

Career Highlights

Meghan Ann Tucker is currently employed at Cell Signaling Technology, Inc., where she continues to advance her research and innovations in cancer treatment. Her work has garnered attention in the scientific community for its potential impact on cancer therapies.

Collaborations

Some of her notable coworkers include Victoria McGuinness Rimkunas and Herbert Haack, who contribute to her research