Existing metastatic disease represents a major clinical challenge. The long-term goal of our study is to gain deeper understanding of cellular mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis. We focus on identification and validation of new predictive biomarkers and drug targets that are specifically for metastatic cancer. We recently focus on studying the role of lipid kinases in particular, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase alpha (PIP5K1a) that is responsible for activation PI3K/AKT pathways in cancer cell survival and metastasis. Our study will provide new information to define the complexity of the molecular pathways in cancer metastasis and treatment response, and provide new strategies to improve personalized therapy.