Cancer deaths in the U.S. dropped 27% from 2001 to 2020, but roughly 600,000 people still die from cancer each year. In collaboration with colleagues across VCU and around the world, our researchers strive to be part of the solution. We are making scientific discoveries that will inform the development of improved diagnosis, prevention and treatment methods for cancer. Our studies examine the interaction between genetic factors and the development of cancer cells, such as how misregulation of physiological processes contributes to carcinogenesis and how mechanisms of gene regulation could inhibit immune system avoidance by tumor cells.
Students and trainees work alongside dedicated faculty in our labs to conduct cutting-edge research in the following areas related to cancer molecular genetics and experimental therapeutics:
- Characterizing molecular determinants of cancer development and progression (brain, colon, breast, liver, lung, ovary, pancreas and prostate)
- Effects of genetic alterations on tumorigenesis
- Immuno-modulating approaches to treat cancer and other inflammatory diseases
- Immunotherapy development and vaccination against cancer
- Molecular mechanism of liver cancer
- Novel cancer therapeutic strategies engaging multiple antitumor mechanisms
- Role of cell competition in cancer development and progression
- Role of epigenetics in cancer development, progression and therapy
- Stress proteins, scavenger receptors in inflammation, pathogen recognition and immune homeostasis
- Therapeutic effects of cancer terminator viruses
Partners and Collaborators
Faculty
Explore faculty research interests and recent publications by clicking the photos below.
Praveen Bhoopathi, Ph.D.
Instructor
Praveen Bhoopathi, Ph.D.
Instructor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Molecular basis of cancer development and progression, neuroblastoma and animal models of cancer
Email: praveen.bhoopathi@vcuhealth.org
Swadesh Das, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Swadesh Das, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Genomic changes in the development of cancer, with a specific focus on melanoma
Email: swadesh.das@vcuhealth.org
Luni Emdad, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Luni Emdad, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) interacting molecules involved in cancer progression, possible cancer stemness and angiogenesis toward developing novel therapeutic strategies to inhibit cancer progression
Email: luni.emdad@vcuhealth.org
Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI
Professor
Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI
Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Director of the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine
Research interests: Molecular basis of cancer and neurodegeneration, development of improved diagnostics and therapeutics for related diseases
Email: paul.fisher@vcuhealth.org
Zheng Fu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Zheng Fu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Molecular mechanisms of cell cycle control and genome stability as they relate to carcinogenesis; development of novel, targeted cancer therapies
Email: Zheng.Fu@vcuhealth.org
Rajan Gogna, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Rajan Gogna, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Email: Rajan.Gogna@vcuhealth.org
Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Suyun Huang, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Molecular and cellular mechanisms of tumor progression, invasion and metastasis, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression including histone methylation and ubiquitination, and RNA m6A methylation, and their impacts on cancer cell resistance to therapeutics
Email: suyun.huang@vcuhealth.org
Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Chromatic remodeling complexes and histone modifying enzymes in the structural regulation of chromatin and ultimately gene expression; identification of small molecule therapeutics for inhibiting metastasis and immune system avoidance by tumor cells
Email: joseph.landry@vcuhealth.org
Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D
Professor
Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D
Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Key molecules regulating development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the development of therapeutic strategies to treat HCC
Email: devanand.sarkar@vcuhealth.org
Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D.
Professor
Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Research interests: Stress responses/proteins and pattern recognition scavenger receptors, particularly their roles in immune modulation and host response, along with the development of novel immune-based cancer therapies
Email: xiang-yang.wang@vcuhealth.org
Jolene Windle, Ph.D.
Professor
Jolene Windle, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Eminent Scholar and Director of the Massey Cancer Center Transgenic Mouse Core
Research interests: Role of oncogenes in mouse mammary tumorigenesis and the development of new transgenic mouse technologies
Email: jolene.windle@vcuhealth.org