Overview
Our Section prides itself on a longstanding tradition of excellence in cancer research, spanning the spectrum of basic research to translational research and clinical trials. We take a “team science” approach, where collaboration amongst and between teams is encouraged and facilitated. Led by our expert faculty, research efforts are supported by a dedicated team of staff scientists, graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, fellows, data analysts, research laboratory managers, and technicians.
Building on this strong foundation, our faculty possesses deep expertise across a broad range of research areas, including cancer metabolomics, tumor immunology, and cellular therapy. This wealth of expertise is fundamental to the collaborative spirit of our team science model, fostering innovative and diverse partnerships. Our partnerships extend across several leading basic and translational research entities, including the Ben May Department for Cancer Research, the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME).
Our basic and translational research spans a variety of fields, including:
- Developmental biology and genetics
- Cellular biology (focusing on intracellular pathways and signal transduction)
- Drug resistance and the development of new therapeutics
- Cell Therapy
- Tumor Immunology
- Genetics
- Metabolomics
- Transplant biology
- Protein targeting
- Artificial intelligence
- Computational Oncology
Much of our basic research carries over into translational research and clinical studies. With our patient-facing research, the Section believes in a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach that follows a bench-to-bedside model, integrating both laboratory and clinical research in pursuit of the best treatment and care options available.
Our robust research activities receive support from several prestigious sources, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and various non-federal granting agencies like the American Cancer Society. Research training is bolstered by an NCI-sponsored training grant, which supports both MD and MD/PhD post-doctoral investigators. Currently, the Section manages nearly $25 million in federally-funded grants, non-federally funded research projects, philanthropic donations, and clinical trials.