Research Programs
Program Leaders
Cancer Population Sciences (CPS)
Program Co-Leaders:
Janice Krieger, Ph.D.
Diana Wilkie, Ph.D., R.N.
Mission:
The mission of the Cancer Population Sciences (CPS) program is to reduce the cancer-related burden within the UFHCC catchment area by conducting person-centered, family-focused, clinician-engaged and population-based research to improve cancer prevention, treatment, symptom management and palliative care.
Aims:
- Advance communication and shared decision-making research
- Advance symptom science and palliative care research
- Implement multilevel interventions that address the social determinants of health and cancer health disparities across the cancer continuum
- Leverage tailored methodologies to understand and engage populations facing unique disadvantages within our catchment area
- Provide career enhancement in grantsmanship, project implementation, biomedical informatics and implementation science via seminar series and boot camps
Cancer Therapeutics and Host Response (CTHR)
Program Co-Leaders:
Duane A. Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D.
Christian Jobin, Ph.D.
Mission:
The mission of the Cancer Therapeutics and Host Response (CTHR) program is to identify pathways of vulnerability within tumor cells and the microbiome for which targeted therapeutics may improve treatment outcomes in patients with cancer.
Aims:
- Understand tumor immunology and develop novel immunotherapeutic treatments
- Elucidate microbiome function in cancer development and therapeutics
- Identify and validate targeted therapeutics engaging key cancer pathways
- Facilitate the transition of therapeutic discoveries into clinical trials important to the catchment area
- Provide opportunities for medical, graduate and postdoctoral students, as well as physician scientists to participate in interdisciplinary translational research
Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO)
Program Co-Leaders:
Rolf Renne, Ph.D. (Interim)
Daohong Zhou, M.D.
Mission:
The mission of the Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) program is to identify and understand cellular pathways that are dysregulated during neoplastic transformation and to develop methodologies to target these cancer-specific signaling events.
Aims:
- Elucidate neoplastic genomic and epigenetic instability and signaling
- Elucidate the role of noncoding RNAs in oncogenesis
- Study tumor viruses to elucidate epigenetics, ncRNAs and signaling in cancer
- Facilitate translational research and research relevant to the catchment area
- Provide training for medical, graduate and postdoctoral students, as well as physician scientists in interdisciplinary cancer research