Profile Introduction

Dr. Sweeney is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at UC Davis School of Medicine.  Her research focuses on basic and translational breast cancer research and she is also an experienced and award-winning medical educator. 

Research Interests

Receptor tyrosine kinases in breast tumor progression and therapeutic resistance

Tumor suppressors & oncogenes in breast cancer

Mouse models of breast cancer

MicroRNA regulation in breast cancer 

Grad Group Affiliations

• Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
• Comparative Pathology
• Pharmacology-Toxicology

Specialties / Focus

• Cancer Biology
• Cell Biology
• Molecular Medicine

Honors and Awards

• 1987 Merck Index Award in Chemistry, University of Massachusetts; 1988 Louis Fenaux Award in Chemistry, University of Massachusetts; 1989 Kenneth A. Rose Award in Chemistry, University of Massachusetts; 1989 American Institute of Chemists Award; 1994 Charlton Research Poster Competition - First Place, Tufts University School of Medicine; 1994 Berlex BioSciences Predoctoral Fellowship; 1996 National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship; 1999 Massachusetts Department of Public Health Breast Cancer Award; 2001 California Breast Cancer Research Program New Investigator Award.; 2002 California Tobacco-Related Diseases Research Program New Investigator Award; 2002 UC Davis Cancer Center Annual Research Symposium, Anne Kathryn Trelford Bell Award
• 2004 Anne Kathryn Trelford Bell Award/UC Davis Cancer Center Research Symposium
• 2005 UC Davis Health System Award
• 2006 UC Davis School of Medicine Excellence in Education Award
• 2008 Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching Basic Sciences
• "Outstanding Instructor” Class of 2011 for Excellence in Teaching of the Sciences Basic to Medicine
• 2011 Dean’s Excellence Award in Education, UC Davis School of Medicine
• "Outstanding Instructor” Class of 2012 for Excellence in Teaching of the Sciences Basic to Medicine
• 2014 Kaiser Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching Basic Sciences
• C. John Tupper Teaching Prize 2015

Professional Societies

• American Association for Cancer Research, Active Member

Degrees

• 1990 BS Chemistry/Biochemistry University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth
• 1995 Ph.D. Biochemistry Tufts University School of Medicine
• 2000 Postdoctoral Fellow Cell Signaling Harvard Medical School

Publications

Amir, S., Simion, C., Umeh, M., Krig, S., Moss, T., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney, C. Regulation of the T-box transcription factor TBX3 by the tumor suppressor microRNA-206 in breast cancer. 2016 British Journal of Cancer, in press.  

Yokdang, N., Hatakeyama, J., Wald, J.H., Tellez, J.D., Chang, D.Z., Chen, M., Murphy, W.J., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney C. LRIG1 opposes epithelial to mesenchymal transition and inhibits invasion of basal-like breast cancer cells. 2015 Oncogene, in press

Morrison, M.M., Williams, M.M., Vaught, D.B., Hicks, D., Lim, J., McKernan, C., Aurisicchio, L., Cennaro, G., Simion, C., Sweeney, C. and Cook, R.S. Decreased Lrig1 in fulvestrant-treated breast cancer cells permits ErbB3 up-regulation and increased growth. 2015 Oncogene, July 6th. 

Bekki, K., Vogel, H., Li, W., Ito, T., Sweeney, C., Haarmann-Stemman, T., Matsumura, F., Vogel, C.. The Aryl Hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates resistance to apoptosis in breast cancer cells. 2014 Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, in press.

Candas, D., Lu, C.L., Fan, M., Chuang, F.Y.S., Sweeney, C., Borowsky, A.D., and Li, J.J. Mitochondrial MKP1 is a target for therapy-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer cells. 2014 Cancer Research, Dec 15;74(24):7498 – 509.

Simion, C. Prieto, M. Sweeney, C. “The LRIG family – enigmatic regulators of growth factor receptor signaling”, Invited review for Endocrine Related Cancer, Dec;21(6):R431-R443. Epub 2014 Sep 2.

Frietze, S., Geen, H., Simion, C., Littlepage, L.E., Sweeney, C., Farnham, P.J. and Krig, S.R. Analysis of ZNF217 chromatin occupancy reveals an association with ER-positive breast cancer. 2014 BMC Genomics, Jun 24;15:520

Printsev, I. Yen, L, Sweeney, C. and Carraway, K.L. III. Oligomerization of the Nrdp1 E3 ubiquitin ligase is necessary for efficient autoubiquitination but not ErbB3 ubiquitination. 2014 J.Biol.Chem March 21; 289(12):8570-8.

Rafidi, H.R., Mercado, F.M., Astudillo, M., Fry, W.H., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney, C. Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing protein-1 (Lrig1) negative regulatory action towards ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases is opposed by Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing protein-3 (Lrig3). 2013 J. Biol. Chem. July 26, 288(30): 21593-605.

Littlepage, L.E., Adler, A.S., Kouros-Mehr, H., Huang, G., Chou, J., Krig, S.R., Griffith, O.L., Korkola, J.E., Qu, K., Lawson, D.A., Xue, Q., Sternlicht, M.D., Dijkgraaf, G.J.P., Yaswen, P., Rugo, H.S., Sweeney, C., Collins, C.C., Gray, J.W., Chang, H.Y., Werb, Z. The transcription factor ZNF217 is a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target during breast cancer progression. 2012 Cancer Discovery, Jul;2(7):638-51.

Krig, S.R., Frietze, S., Simion, C, Miller, J.K., Fry, W.H., Rafidi, H., Kotelawala, L., Qi, L., Griffith, O., Gray, J.W., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney C. Lrig1 is an estrogen regulated growth suppressor and correlates with longer relapse-free survival in ERalpha-positive breast cancer. 2011 Molecular Cancer Research, 9(10):1406-17. *Highlighted by Connexon Creative Mammary Cell News, August 11 2011*

Vogel, C., Li, W., Wu, D., Miller, J.K., Sweeney, C., Lazennec, G., Fujisawa, Y., and Matsumura, F. Interaction of Aryl hydrocarbon receptor and NF-B subunit RelB in breast cancer is associated with Interleukin-8 overexpression. 2011 Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 512(1):78-86.

Fry WH, Simion C, Sweeney C., Carraway KL III. Quantity Control of the ErbB3 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase at the Endoplasmic Reticulum. 2011 Molecular and Cellular Biology, 31(14):3009-18.

Semsri, S., Krig, S.R., Kotelawala, L., Sweeney, C.*, and Anuchapreeda, S*. Inhibitory mechanism of pure curcumin on Wilm’s tumor 1 (WT1) gene expression through the PKC signaling pathway. 2011 Febs Letters, 585(14):2235-42. * co-Corresponding authors.

Sweeney C, Carraway KL 3rd. 2004. Negative regulation of ErbB family receptor tyrosine kinases. British Journal of Cancer 90(2):289-93.

. Krig, S.R., Frietze, S., Simion, C, Miller, J.K., Fry, W.H., Rafidi, H., Kotelawala, L., Qi, L., Griffith, O., Gray, J.W., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney C. Lrig1 is an estrogen regulated growth suppressor and correlates with longer relapse-free survival in ERalpha-positive breast cancer. 2011 Molecular Cancer Research, 9(10):1406-17

Littlepage, L.E., Adler, A.S., Kouros-Mehr, H., Huang, G., Chou, J., Krig, S.R., Griffith, O.L., Korkola, J.E., Qu, K., Lawson, D.A., Xue, Q., Sternlicht, M.D., Dijkgraaf, G.J.P., Yaswen, P., Rugo, H.S., Sweeney, C., Collins, C.C., Gray, J.W., Chang, H.Y., Werb, Z. The transcription factor ZNF217 is a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target during breast cancer progression. 2012 Cancer Discovery, Jul; 2(7): 638- 51.

Rafidi, H.R., Mercado, F.M., Astudillo, M., Fry, W.H., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney, C. Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing protein-1 (Lrig1) negative regulatory action towards ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases is opposed by Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing protein-3 (Lrig3). 2013 J. Biol. Chem. May 30th, epub ahead of print.

Krig, S.R., Frietze, S., Simion, C, Miller, J.K., Fry, W.H., Rafidi, H., Kotelawala, L., Qi, L., Griffith, O., Gray, J.W., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney C. Lrig1 is an estrogen regulated growth suppressor and correlates with longer relapse-free survival in ER-positive breast cancer. 2011 Molecular Cancer Research, 9(10):1406-17.

Littlepage, L.E., Adler, A.S., Kouros-Mehr, H., Huang, G., Chou, J., Krig, S.R., Griffith, O.L., Korkola, J.E., Qu, K., Lawson, D.A., Xue, Q., Sternlicht, M.D., Dijkgraaf, G.J.P., Yaswen, P., Rugo, H.S., Sweeney, C., Collins, C.C., Gray, J.W., Chang, H.Y., Werb, Z. The transcription factor ZNF217 is a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target during breast cancer progression. 2012 Cancer Discovery, Jul;2(7):638-51.

Rafidi, H.R., Mercado, F.M., Astudillo, M., Fry, W.H., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney, C. Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing protein-1 (Lrig1) negative regulatory action towards ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases is opposed by Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing protein-3 (Lrig3). 2013 J. Biol. Chem. July 26, 288(30): 21593-605.

Frietze, S., Geen, H., Simion, C., Littlepage, L.E., Sweeney, C., Farnham, P.J. and Krig, S.R. Analysis of ZNF217 chromatin occupancy reveals an association with ER-positive breast cancer. 2014 BMC Genomics, in press.

Printsev, I. Yen, L, Sweeney, C. and Carraway, K.L. III. Oligomerization of the Nrdp1 E3 ubiquitin ligase is necessary for efficient autoubiquitination but not ErbB3 ubiquitination. 2014 J.Biol.Chem March 21; 289(12):8570-8.

Wu, X., Yen, L., Irwin, L., Sweeney, C. and Carraway, K.L. III Stabilization of the E3 Ubquitin Ligase Nrdp1 by the Deubquitinating Enzyme Usp8. 2004 Molecular and Cellular Biology, 24(17), 7748-7757.

Laederich, M.B., Funes-Duran, M., Yen, L., Ingalla, E., Wu, X., Carraway K.L. III and Sweeney C. The Leucine-rich repeat protein Lrig1 is a negative regulator of ErbB family receptor tyrosine kinases. 2004 The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279(45):47050-6.

Funes, M., Miller J.K., Lai, C., Carraway, K.L. III, and Sweeney C.. 2006 The Mucin Muc4 potentiates Neuregulin signaling by increasing the cell surface populations of ErbB2 and ErbB3. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 281(28): 19310-19319.

Sweeney, C., Miller, J.K., Shattuck, D.L., and Carraway K.L. III 2006. ErbB Receptor Negative Regulatory Mechanisms: Implications in Cancer. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia, 11(1):89-99.

K.L. Carraway III and Sweeney, C. 2006. Co-opted integrin signaling in ErbB2 induced mammary tumor progression. Cancer Cell, 10(2):93-5.

Yen, L., Cao, Z., Wu, X., Ingalla, E., Baron, C., Young, L., Gregg, J.P., Cardiff, R.D., Borowsky, A.D., Sweeney, C. and Carraway K.L III. 2006. Loss of Nrdp1 enhances ErbB2-ErbB3 dependent breast tumor cell growth. Cancer Research 66(23):11279-86.

Carraway, K.L. III, Funes, M., Workman, H.C., and Sweeney, C. 2007. Contribution of Membrane Mucins to Tumor Progression through Modulation of Cellular Growth Signaling Pathways. Current Topics in Developmental Biology 78: 1-22.

*Shattuck, D.L., *Miller, J.K., Laederich, M., Funes, M., Petersen, H., Carraway, K.L, and Sweeney C. Lrig1 is a novel negative regulator of the Met receptor tyrosine kinase and opposes Met & Her2 synergy. Molecular and Cellular Biology 2007 March 27(5):1934-46. *co-first authors

Cao, Z., Wu, X., Yen, L., Sweeney, C. and Carraway, K.L. III. Neuregulin induced ErbB3 down-regulation is mediated by a protein stability cascade involving the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nrdp1. Molecular and Cellular Biology 2007 March 27(6):2180-8.

Shattuck, D.L., Miller, J.K. Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney, C. The Met Receptor Contributes to Trastuzumab Resistance of Her2 overexpressing breast cancer cells. 2008. Cancer Research 68: 1471-1477.

Stutz, M.A., Shattuck, D.L., Laederich, M.B., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney, C. LRIG1 negatively regulates the oncogenic EGF receptor mutant EGFRvIII. 2008. Oncogene, 27(43):5741-52

Miller, J.K., Shattuck, D.L., Ingalla, E.Q., Yen, L., Young, L.G.T., Borowsky, A.D., Cardiff, R.D., Carraway, K.L. III and Sweeney, C. Suppression of the negative regulator LRIG1 contributes to ErbB2 overexpression in breast cancer. 2008. Cancer Research, Oct 15;68(20):8286-94.

Fry, W.H.D., Kotelawala, L., Sweeney, C. and Carraway K.L. III. Mechanisms of ErbB receptor negative regulation and relevance in cancer. 2008 Experimental Cell Research, in press

Workman, H.C., Sweeney, C. and Carraway K.L. III. 2009 The membrane mucin Muc4 inhibits apoptosis induced by multiple insults via ErbB2-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Cancer Research, 69(7):2845-52.

Trainor, B.C., Sweeney, C. and Cardiff, R.D. Isolating the effects of social interactions on cancer biology. 2009 Cancer Prevention Research, Oct;2(10):843-6. PMID: 19789296

Workman, H.C., Miller,J.K., Ingalla, E.Q., Kaur, R.P., Yamamoto, D.I., Beckett, L.A., Young, L.G.T., Cardiff, R.D., Borowsky, A.D., Carraway, K.L., Sweeney, C. and Carraway, K.L. III. The Membrane Mucin MUC4 is Elevated in Breast Tumor Lymph Node Metastases Relative to Matched Primary Tumors and Confers Aggressive Properties to Breast Cancer Cells. 2009. Breast Cancer Research Sep 18;11(5):R70.

Trainor, B.C., Crean, K.K., Fry, W.H.D. and Sweeney, C. Activation of extracellular related kinases in social behavior circuits during resident-intruder aggression tests. 2010 Neuroscience, 165(2):325-36

Silva, A., Fry, W.H.D., Sweeney, C. and Trainor, B.C. Effects of photoperiod and experience on aggressive behavior in female California mice. 2010 Behavioral Brain Research, 208(2):528-34.

Ingalla, E.Q., Miller, J.K., Wald, J.H., Workman, H.C., Kaur, R.P, Yen, L., Fry, W.H., Borowsky, A.D., Young, L.J.T., Sweeney, C., and Carraway, K.L. III. Post-transcriptional mechanisms contribute to the suppression of the ErbB3 negative regulator protein Nrdp1 in mammary tumors. 2010. J. Biol. Chem, Sep 10;285(37):28691-7. Epub 2010 Jul 13. PMID:20628057

Krig, S.R., Miller, J.K., Frietze, S., Beckett, L.A., Neve, R.M.,Farnham, P., Yaswen, P. and Sweeney, C. ZNF217, a candidate breast cancer oncogene amplified at 20q13, regulates expression of the ErbB3 receptor tyrosine kinase in breast cancer cells. 2010 Oncogene, Oct 7;29(40):5500-10. PMID: 20661224