Cancer Research

Cancer research is a broad field that encompasses many basic and medical sciences. Our work extends from genes to drugs to improve the prognosis and treatment of cancer. In collaboration with clinical oncologists in the Cancer Centers at Lankenau Medical Center and other Main Line Hospitals, we focus our main efforts on common tumors of the breast, lung, gastrointestinal tract, ovary and prostate.

Genes that affect cancer severity are a distinct theme of basic research at LIMR. These genes serve as a conceptual hub for the discovery and development of new prognostic markers and drugs to render tumors more susceptible to attack. Arising from this distinct theme, the new drugs act broadly to stimulate the immune system, arrest metastasis, starve key nutrients, or disrupt essential metabolic pathways. Rounding out these efforts, which are at various stages of preclinical and clinical development, we also investigate new surgical methods and radiation strategies to eradicate tumors.

LIMR Faculty Involved in Cancer Research

Iraimoudi S. Ayene, PhD – hypoxia, low-glucose, low-oxygen tumor environments, radiation, chemotherapy

Scott Dessain, MD, PhD (LIMR Center for Human Antibody Technology [CHAT]) – native human antibodies, mAb cloning, botulinum neurotoxin

Mindy George-Weinstein, PhD – Myo/Nog cells, birth defects, cancer, wound healing/fibrosis

Susan K. Gilmour, PhD – polyamines, skin tumorigenesis, wound repair, Myo/Nog cells, thrombosis, cancer, inflammation

Alexander J. Muller, PhD – tumor environment, small molecule inhibitors, immunotherapy, stem cells

James M. Mullin, PhD – gastroenterology, tight junction, transepithelial permeability, gastrointestinal physiology, transport physiology, epithelial physiology, gastrointestinal cancer, epithelial barrier function

George C. Prendergast, PhD – immunotherapy, immune escape, immune surveillance, cancer genetics, preclinical models, experimental therapeutics

Melvin Reichman, PhD (LIMR Chemical Genomics Center) - drug discovery, high throughput screening, molecular pharmacology, chemical diversity

Janet Sawicki, PhD – ovarian, cervical, pancreatic, prostate, lung, MAC disease, nanotherapy