Ira O. Daar, Ph.D.
- Center for Cancer Research
- National Cancer Institute
- Building 560, Room 12-88
- Frederick, MD 21702-1201
- 301-846-1667
- daari@mail.nih.gov
RESEARCH SUMMARY
In our laboratory, we focus on the Eph/ephrin signaling system, and specifically how the ephrinB transmembrane ligands for Eph receptor tyrosine kinases send signals affecting cell-cell junctions and cell movement. This signaling intersects with the Wnt/PCP (Planar Cell Polarity) pathway to affect morphogenesis during development and has been shown to play an instructive role in angiogenesis, as well as tumor cell invasion.
Areas of Expertise
Ira O. Daar, Ph.D.
Research
Developmental Signal Transduction
Cell-cell adhesion maintains intercellular connections between neighboring epithelial cells for normal morphogenetic movements during development. Disruption of this critical process is also one of the earliest steps in metastatic progression of cancer cells. Our laboratory has focused on providing mechanistic insights into how the Eph/ephrin signaling system affects cell-cell interactions; specifically, how the ephrinB transmembrane ligands send signals affecting cell-cell junctions, adhesion, and cell movement. This signaling affects morphogenesis during development, as well as tumor cell invasion in the disease state. We often employ the Xenopus system since we have found it to be a powerful tool for understanding the contribution of several signaling molecules to developmental and cellular processes. Thus, Eph/ephrin and Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity signal transduction can be assessed morphologically, histologically, as well as biochemically in a developing vertebrate. Although the bidirectional signaling between ephrinBs and their receptors is quite complex, it is clear that control of the expression and interplay between these proteins may have important effects on malignant transformation and metastatic progression. Our future direction is aimed toward a mechanistic understanding of the cross-talk between the Wnt and Eph/Ephrin systems; using an interdisciplinary approach to research by integrating the use of biochemical and developmental techniques to further our studies.
Publications
- Bibliography Link
- View Dr. Daar's PubMed Summary.
Biography
Ira O. Daar, Ph.D.
Dr. Ira Daar obtained his Ph.D. degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo under the supervision of Dr. Lynne Maquat. There he investigated the molecular defects underlying common glycolytic enzyme deficiencies, and performed some of the earliest studies on nonsense- mediated mRNA decay. He obtained his postdoctoral training with Dr. George Vande Woude at NCI, investigating signal transduction events and cell cycle control points influenced by oncogene function. His present work focuses on signal transduction pathways that regulate cell-cell adhesion and cell movement.
Job Vacancies
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Team
News
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Image
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Congratulations to Jaeho Yoon and crew for publishing another beautiful story in Nature Communications! Yoon J*, Sun J, Lee M, Hwang YS, Daar IO* 2023. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-35991-6 Further Congrats on the paper "Wnt4 and ephrinB2 instruct apical constriction via Dishevelled and non-canonical signaling" being selected to be highlighted in the Editors' Choice section of Science Signaling, a weekly journal from the publisher of Science magazine. A link to the summary of your article is below: |
Alumni
Lab Life
Daar Lab Summer 2024: Front Row (L-R): Olivia Bindewald, Elizabeth Goodwin, Anthea Luo, Olivia Thomas, Ira Daar. Back Row (L-R): Rich Yoo-Seok Hwang, Sawyer Grunwell, Maya Lines, Jaeho Yoon, Moonsup Lee.
NCI-Frederick Summer Student Poster Day, Aug, 2024 - Elizabeth Goodwin, SCRTA; Sawyer Grunwell, WHK HS Student Intern
Summer Student Poster Day at NCI-Frederick, August, 2024. (L-R): Anthea Luo, Postbac Mentor; Maya Lines, Postbac Mentor; Sara Thomas, WHK HS Summer Student Intern; Olivia Bindewald, Summer Student Intern
Daar Lab attends 2024 XenoTreat
Valeska Zitta (SCRTA) and Olivia Bindewald (WHK HS Intern) present their research project at the NIH Summer Poster Event in Bethesda, MD on August 3rd, 2023
Daar Lab sporting their new froggy t-shirts - Summer 2023. Front row (L-R): Ira Daar, Olivia Bindewald, Elizabeth Goodwin, Valeska Zitta, Yasmine Zouhairi. Back row (L-R): Jaeho Yoon, Maya Lines, Bilal Niazi, Kenan Murray, Yoo-Seok (Rich) Hwang.
Yasmine's famous froggy cupcakes. Yum!
Daar Lab Team Summer 2023
Daar Lab December 2021 - (L-R) Moonsup Lee, David Delarosa, Jaeho Yoon, Hyun-Kyung Lee, Jian Sun, Ira Daar, Rich Hwang
Daar Lab 2020
Daar Lab Summer 2019 - Front row (L-R): Zoe Poppert, Jerlin Garo, Bhuvana Pandalai, Heather Rogers, Rachel Beall. Back row (L-R): Jian Sun, Yoo-Seok (Rich) Hwang, Moonsup Lee, Jaeho Yoon, Hongchan Lee, Ira Daar. Olivia Stevens (not in photo)
Welcome new Werner H. Kirsten High School Student Interns! Artistry by Rachel Beall and Heather Rogers
'Frogs at play' by Daar Lab WHK Interns
Daar Lab attends Mt. Sinai School of Medicine XenoTreat 2019 - Round Top, NY.
Daar Lab Team 2019
XenoTreat 2018 Round Top, NY
Daar Lab Summer Student Interns 2018 - Back row: Eric Gu, Rachel Beall, Heather Rogers, Tiana Fitzgerald. Front row: Hannah Jo, Maddy Salehi, Kim Grasmick
Xmas Lab Wing Party 2018
A Merry Frog Xmas
CDBL Holiday Gathering 2018 - Host Alan Perantoni and his party loving pup.
The Daar Lab Summer Gang 2017
Alexi Baumgardner, WHK High School Intern 2016-2017, Poster Presentation
The Daar Lab Team 2015 - (L-R): Rich Hwang (Staff Scientist), Katchya Acharya (Summer Student), Kathy Soria (Lab Tech), Dili Sundaramoorthy (Postbac), Moonsup Lee (Postdoc), Jillian Kunze (High School Intern), Claire Scott (Summer Student), Jaeho Yoon (Postdoc), Daniel Yoon (High School Intern -no relation to Jaeho), Chu Bong (Summer Student), Ira Daar (Principal Investigator)
Daar Lab Summer 2013
The Kids of Summer - (L-R): Alex, JJ, Olivia and Katy hangin' out!
Yoo-Seok (Rich) says, "You don't know what I am thinking!"
Some of our favorite Frog Decorations
Frog Lamp by Rachel Beall, WHK Summer Intern 2019
Princess Leia Frog, former Daar Lab mascot.