The Kumar lab is interested in integrating the fields of genomics and proteomics as a means of investigating important cellular processes in the bakers' yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This research addresses many conserved pathways mediating cell cycle progression and cell polarity establishment in yeast. These pathways represent an effective eukaryotic model of signaling networks germane to cancer research, encompassing orthologs of known oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Currently, this work entails a "system-wide" approach to the study of a multi-pathway process wherein strains of budding yeast form invasive filaments called pseudohyphae. As highly similar processes of filament formation are essential to the virulence of many pathogenic fungi, this study holds translational / clinical relevance. Additional projects are available in the lab incorporating genomic approaches to the analysis of the eukaryotic cell cycle.