Hollings Cancer Center Members

Pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies

The Lab will focus on ways of molecular targeted imaging of malignant lesions to early detect, treat, and prevent cancer.

Tumor suppressor genes, targeted therapy, and tumor cell intrinsic functions

My primary cancer research interest is applying advanced genomic and computational approaches to uncover the molecular mechanisms that drive tumor development, progression, and therapeutic response.

Our research program is focused on defining the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of NF1-associated peripheral nerve sheath tumors and using that information to develop effective new therapies for these neoplasms

Understanding how cancers interact with the immune system to identify molecular determinants of immunogenicity and developing strategies to modulate immunogenicity to enhance response to immune checkpoint blockade therapies. My program's second focus is to understand how commonly mutated chromatin modifiers/remodelers, namely SETD2, BAP1 and PBRM1, contribute to the development and progression of kidney, lung and skin cancers and leveraging synthetic lethal dependencies created by loss-of-function of these genes to develop rational, targeted therapies

Mechanistic outcomes of aneuploidy in solid tumors, particularly high-grade serous ovarian cancer; RNA regulation

Liver cancer immune-oncology and metabolic heterogeneity

Regulation of gene expression during endoderm formation and differentiation

Dr. Eblen focuses on molecular mechanisms and therapeutics involving protein kinases and E3 ubiquitin ligases in the context of ovarian and breast cancers. 

Investigating the role of Myosin Vb in regulating proliferation, migration, cell adhesion and glucose metabolism in healthy and cancer states.

My lab is focused on elucidating the role of epithelial purinergic signaling (an important route of cell communication) within gastrointestinal cancers, specifically colon cancer.

The study of how microbes influence cancer development and progression

Development of cancer therapies

Engineering immune cells as living drugs for solid tumors

Delineate the molecular mechanisms by which the Piwi-piRNA pathway silences transposons and maintains genome integrity

The development and treatment of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Targeted therapy for ovarian cancer

Oral cancer and cell biology

Investigating the mechanisms linking the dysregulation of components of the innate immune system to the induction of intestinal inflammation, alterations of the intestinal microbiota and the development of CRC in colorectal cancer.

NF-kB signaling in the regulation of the development and progression of adult (pancreatic) and childhood (rhabdomyosarcoma) tumors and associated quality of life syndromes including cachexia

Origin, heterogeneity and function of pancreatic cancer associated fibroblasts in modulating the pancreatic cancer microenvironment.

Studies in Dr. Haque's laboratory are probing the factors responsible for immune evasion by G-cell lymphomas. While MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cells are effector cells in anti-tumor immune responses, MHC class II-restricted CD4+ T cells can play critical roles in initiating, regulating, and maintaining anti-tumor immune responses. Since most B-cell tumors express MHC class II molecules, these tumors can be potential target for CD4+ T cells.

Mitochondrial/metabolic adaptations in cancer driven by changes in cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) expression and subcellular localization and by changes in ploidy (genome copy number)

Biostatistics

Mutant selective signaling in pancreatic cancer, the roles on metabolism, tumor microenvironment, and therapeutic sensitivity

TGFβ and RNA proteins and their regulation of tumor progression

The study of RNA silencing-based therapies for cancer, in particular, the development of peptide carrier-mediated targeted delivery strategies of therapeutic small RNA molecules for the treatment of oral cancer

BRCA and DNA repair related cancers (Variants of uncertain Significance)

The delivery of therapeutic transgenes for lung cancer using viral vectors including AAV.

Interaction of epithelial cell-cel adhesion complexes and RNA-binding proteins in post-transcriptional suppression of oncogenes and of pro-tumorigenic transformation

My research is centered around finding novel enhanced cytokine formulations to immunotherapy of cancer.

Understanding how dysregulated subcellular localization contributes to tumorigenesis in both pediatric and adult cancers.

The development of improved methods for the identification, purification, culture and transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)

Genome integrity and cancer predisposition

Identification of signaling pathways and other chemo preventive agents as t-cell response modifiers

I am interested in how alcohol exacerbates risk for developing cancer.

Modeling the colorectal tumor microenvironment using human pluripotent stem cell derived colonic organoids

I am focused on understanding the immune microenvironment of gynecologic malignancies particularly endometrial cancer.

Engineer T cells for oncology applications and study adaptive immunity in the context of cancer

Signaling networks in the tumor microenvironment and how they impact tumor progression

Understanding and targeting genomic instability in cancers

Understanding the mechanisms that regulate anti-cancer functions of immune cells and immune tolerance

Examining the roles of Fc (GM) and Fcg receptor genes in the pathogenesis of cancer

Study of the mechanisms allowing brain tumors to relapse

Mutagenic mechanisms that contribute to carcinogenesis

My primary research interest is to develop human models for pediatric brain cancers, utilizing these to clarify mechanisms of tumor initiation, the role of the tumor microenvironment and to identify therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Bioinformatics/biostatistical problems originating from cancer datasets

Meningioma Immunotherapy

Role of the complement system in modulating cancer immunity

Immune cell functions in autoimmune diseases

Pathological mechanisms of cisplatin ototoxicity and testing of otoprotective treatments targeting angiogenesis and vascular function in the inner ear

Determine extracellular physical and chemical environment and its impact on cell energy metabolism

Role of Opportunistic Bacteria in Cancer Development and Response to Therapy

Define the mechanisms by which the tumor microenvironment regulates cancer and immune cell communication to drive tumor progression

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying genomic instability and exploring ways to target these mechanisms for cancer treatment.