Cancer Biology Researchers investigate critical molecular pathways in cancer: tyrosine kinases, the mTOR pathway, core tumor suppressor genes, GTPases, Notch, transcriptional regulators, and hormone receptors.  These are fundamental cancer-driving molecules that are at the forefront of emerging therapies for cancer of the breast, prostate, kidney, blood, brain, and beyond.

We aim to develop molecular therapeutics that counteract oncogenic cellular functions.  Areas of strength include autophagy, tumor cell metabolism, microRNA/lncRNA, apoptosis, metastasis, and cancer stem cells. Department members employ new technologies for therapy development, such as global phospho-proteomics and MS-based high throughput screening. 

Together the faculty form a team with broad expertise in molecular and cellular cancer biology.  We benefit from strong interactions with members of UC’s Hematology-Oncology Division and CCHMC’s Cancer and Blood Disease Institute (links).  In the next several years, we plan to expand this portfolio by strategic new faculty recruitment.

Major Research Areas

• Cancer cell signaling (Guan, Cunningham, Patra, Plas, Waltz, S.C. Wang, Zhang, Zheng)
• Autophagy and tumor cell metabolism (Cunningham, Czyzyk-Krzeska, Diao, Du, Fan, Guan, Patra, Plas, Sasaki, C. Wang, Zheng)
• DNA damage response, genomic stability, and telomeres (Du, Wasylishen, Wells)
• MicroRNA, lncRNA and epigenetics (Czyzyk-Krzeska, Starczynowski, S.C. Wang, Zhang)
• Tumor microenvironment, inflammation, and metastasis (Fan, Guan, Sasaki, Waltz, C. Wang, S.C. Wang, Wasylishen)
• Cancer stem cells (Guan, Waltz, C. Wang, Zhang, Zheng)
• Technology development and novel therapeutics (Diao, Greis, Plas, Zhang)