Monkkonen Lab Research
Our overarching research interest is to understand the molecular biology of breast cancer and the tumor microenvironment. We are interested in intracellular crosstalk in tumor progression, focusing on the most aggressive types of breast cancers (i.e., triple negative and metastatic breast cancers), patient populations lacking targeted therapies, and the synergy of risk factors for disease with basic biology. The lab also has projects in mammary gland developmental biology, focusing on projects that impact breast cancer risk and initiation.
We are open to collaborations, especially to understand the molecular biology of breast cancer disparities. I am also passionate about mentoring the next generation of biologists and championing diversity in biomedical research.
About Dr. Teresa Monkkonen:
I am an assistant professor at San Diego State University in the Department of Biology in the Cellular and Molecular Biology group. I am faculty from the SDSU FUERTE/NIH FIRST program, and a member of Moore's Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego. For further details, see CV in "People" tab. I completed my postdoctoral training with Dr. Jayanta Debnath, MD in the Department of Pathology at the University of California, San Francisco, after obtaining my PhD at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX with Mike Lewis, PhD on hedgehog signaling in mammary gland development. I am very interested in how different cell types communicate with each other in health and breast cancer, and learning more about the molecular biology underlying the most aggressive breast cancers. I am also very passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists.
Current openings:
We are open to collaborations, especially to understand the molecular biology of breast cancer disparities. I am also passionate about mentoring the next generation of biologists and championing diversity in biomedical research.
About Dr. Teresa Monkkonen:
I am an assistant professor at San Diego State University in the Department of Biology in the Cellular and Molecular Biology group. I am faculty from the SDSU FUERTE/NIH FIRST program, and a member of Moore's Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego. For further details, see CV in "People" tab. I completed my postdoctoral training with Dr. Jayanta Debnath, MD in the Department of Pathology at the University of California, San Francisco, after obtaining my PhD at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX with Mike Lewis, PhD on hedgehog signaling in mammary gland development. I am very interested in how different cell types communicate with each other in health and breast cancer, and learning more about the molecular biology underlying the most aggressive breast cancers. I am also very passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists.
Current openings:
- Potential Master's and PhD students: It is most useful to discuss after admission to a program prior to starting (i.e. late spring for interest for the fall). If you reach out, please include your CV/ resume, why you are interested in my group, and how our research fits with your career goals. Please check out the CMB program websites for more information.
- Undergraduates (9/2025): We are currently very full! For undergraduates, we would like a commitment for a summer and a semester, or 2+ semesters in the lab with >10 hours/week. Please submit the Google Form, which includes your CV and email Dr. Monkkonen if you would like to meet. Link to google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18ZLGQhUaJC-Ohqsqq5BpureFumRC-npZDY-AQ_VOClo/edit
