Welcome to Rosenbluth Lab

Biology of high-risk breast tissue

Not all breast tissue carries the same risk of developing cancer. Our lab studies the biological features that distinguish higher-risk breast tissue from normal breast epithelium. We are particularly interested in how hormone signaling, immune interactions, and cellular states shape the environment in which breast cancer can arise.

To study these questions, we use patient-derived breast organoids and single-cell approaches to model human breast tissue outside the body while preserving key aspects of its biology. These systems allow us to examine how epithelial cells respond to hormonal and environmental signals and how early changes in cell state may contribute to cancer risk. Recent work from our group has explored how imaging features such as background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) reflect underlying differences in hormone-responsive cell populations and tissue biology.

A central goal of the lab is to build experimental models directly from human breast tissue collected through clinical care. We work closely with colleagues in surgery, pathology, and radiology to develop pipelines that allow small clinical samples—including core biopsies and fine-needle aspirates—to be used for organoid generation and molecular analysis. These approaches enable us to study early lesions such as DCIS and other high-risk breast tissues in experimentally tractable systems.

By integrating experimental models with analysis of human breast tissue samples, our goal is to identify biological markers of breast cancer risk and better understand the earliest steps in tumor development. Insights from this work may ultimately inform strategies for breast cancer prevention and early intervention.

Modeling treatment response

Breast cancers vary widely in how they respond to therapy, and we are interested in understanding the biological features that drive these differences. In our lab, we use patient-derived breast organoids to model how tumors respond to treatments in a controlled experimental setting. These models allow us to study the effects of drugs directly in human tissue and to explore how cellular states, signaling pathways, and the surrounding microenvironment influence treatment sensitivity.

We also use these models to evaluate biomarkers and therapeutic strategies emerging from clinical research in the UCSF Breast Oncology Program. By integrating organoid models with genomic and single-cell approaches, we can test how candidate biomarkers of treatment response behave in human tissue and investigate the biological mechanisms behind them.

Our work focuses particularly on breast cancer subtypes that remain challenging to treat, including aggressive and inflammatory cancers and disease that spreads to the pleural or peritoneal space. Organoid models are increasingly being integrated with multiple clinical research efforts at UCSF, creating opportunities to connect discoveries made in the laboratory with patient samples collected through prospective clinical studies. These efforts aim to accelerate the translation of biological insights into more effective and individualized treatment strategies.