Cancer Cell Biology

Cancer Cell Biology

Cancer Biology focuses on fundamental mechanisms in cancer development and progression with the long-term aim of promoting the translation of novel therapies.

Cancer Biology research covers a broad spectrum of inquiry into the mechanisms of cancer progression, including genomic and mRNA regulation, signal transduction, intracellular trafficking, cell polarity, metastasis and basic mechanisms of growth, invasion and survival. Investigators begin by utilizing a variety of tools to ask basic science questions about the initiation and progression of cancer (including model organisms and high-throughput techniques) and continue on through the pre-clinical application of these discoveries using mouse-modeling.

Primary Faculty
Parker B. Antin, PhD Associate Vice President for Research, Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension Associate Dean for Research, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology Professor, BIO5 Institute (520) 661-6382 pba@email.arizona.edu Lineage diversification and morphogenesis during embryogenesis.
Anne Cress, PhD Deputy Dean, Research Affairs Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, Radiation Oncology Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology Professor, Applied Biosciences GIDP Professor, Cancer Biology GIDP (520) 626-7553 cress@email.arizona.edu Studying the molecular mechanisms of human cancer progression and metastasis and the regulation of cell surface adhesion molecules, called integrins.
Nathan A. Ellis, PhD Director of Graduate Studies, Genetics GIDP Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Scientific Director, Cancer Biology Research Program Associate Professor, Cancer Biology GIDP (520) 626-7979 naellis@email.arizona.edu Analyzing genomic instability in cancer susceptibility.
Keith A. Maggert, PhD Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Associate Professor, Genetics GIDP Associate Professor, Cancer Biology GIDP (520) 626-9545 kamaggert@email.arizona.edu Exploring the connection between epigenetic instability and chromosome damage.
Cynthia Miranti, PhD Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program Leader, Prostate Cancer Research Co-Program Leader, Cancer Biology Research Program Professor, BIO5 Institute (520) 626-2269 cmiranti@email.arizona.edu Defining the mechanisms by which cell adhesion and the tumor microenvironment promote prostate cancer progression and metastasis.
Ghassan (Gus) Mouneimne, PhD Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology GIDP (520) 626-4616 gmouneimne@email.arizona.edu Understanding How Cytoskeletal Architecture Regulates Cancer Metastasis
Ritu Pandey, MSc, PhD Assistant Research Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine (520) 626-0391 ritu@email.arizona.edu Investigating the underlying molecular profiles in cancer patient data using integrated computational analysis of multi-omics data in the context of disease outcome, treatment and progression.
Jin H. Song, PhD Research Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine (520) 626-9048 jinsong@email.arizona.edu Advancing knowledge on cancers including their biology, signal transduction and novel therapeutics.
Joann Sweasy, PhD Director, University of Arizona Cancer Center Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, Radiation Oncology Associate Director, Basic Sciences, University of Arizona Cancer Center (520) 626-2548 jsweasy@email.arizona.edu Discovering mechanistic insights into the roles of aberrant DNA repair in the development of cancer, autoimmunity, and other diseases.
Curtis Thorne, PhD Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Assistant Professor, BIO5 Institute Member, University of Arizona Cancer Center Member, Steele Children's Research Center (520) 626-0395 curtisthorne@email.arizona.edu Combining chemical biology and computer vision approaches to discover cellular communication mechanisms controlling cell fate, self-organization and disease progression of regenerative tissues
Noel Warfel, PhD Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine (520) 626-7756 warfelna@email.arizona.edu Understanding the complex biological mechanisms that allow cancer cells to thrive in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment and developing new therapeutic strategies to oppose hypoxia-mediated therapeutic resistance.

Leadership, Primary Faculty
Carol C. Gregorio, PhD Department Head, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Co-Director, Sarver Heart Center Director, Molecular Cardiovascular Research Program Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology Professor, BIO5 Institute (520) 626-8113 gregorio@email.arizona.edu Identifying the components and molecular mechanisms regulating cytoskeletal architecture in cardiac and skeletal muscle during normal development and in disease.
Gregory C. Rogers, PhD Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Associate Department Head, Faculty Development, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Associate Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology Associate Professor, BIO5 Institute Associate Professor, Cancer Biology GIDP Associate Professor, Genetics GIDP (520) 626-3925 gcrogers@email.arizona.edu Understanding cellular mechanisms that control genomic integrity.
Yana Zavros, PhD Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Associate Head for Research yzavros@email.arizona.edu Investigation of in vivo and in vitro Organoid Models of Gastrointestinal Diseases

Primary Faculty, Willed Body Program
Jean Wilson, PhD Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, BIO5 Institute Director, Willed Body Program (520) 626-2557 jeanw@email.arizona.edu The Wilson laboratory works on the establishment and maintenance of the integrity of the intestine through the regulation of membrane trafficking to the apical plasma membrane domain.

Affiliated Faculty
Ronald Heimark, PhD Professor, Surgery Associate Professor, Pathology Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, Ophthalmology Professor, Cancer Biology GIDP (520) 626-1913 rheimark@email.arizona.edu

You are here