Program Members

Gildy Babiera, M.D.

• Resection of primary tumor for Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)
• Extent of surgical resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Luc Bidaut, Ph.D., and James Bankson, Ph.D.

• Providing image processing and visualization lab for IBC
• Perform advanced imaging (e.g., multidimensional and multimodality) applications in humans and animals
• Exploring combinations of PET/CT, MRI and SPECT/CT for the image-based characterization of disease (e.g., staging) and therapy response assessment

Melissa Bondy, Ph.D.

• Exploring the epidemiological factors associated with IBC
• Determining the role of viruses and IBC
• Collaborating with international teams comparing IBC in the US with other high risk areas

Thomas Buchholz, M.D.

• Defining optimal radiation treatment strategies
• Elucidating molecular and genetic factors that determine IBC development and treatment response.

Massimo Cristofanilli, M.D.

• Improving and development standard of care for IBC patients
• Exploring gene therapy and adjuvant treatment in inflammatory breast cancer
• Investigating molecular biology markers as prognostic and predictive factors
• Exploring new technologies applied to microdiagnostics in IBC

Yun Gong, M.D.

• Providing tissue banking services (frozen or paraffin) from IBC patients who are diagnosed and/or treated at M. D. Anderson.
• Performing pathologic (morphologic and immunohistochemical) evaluation on IBC-related projects.

Huong Le-Petross, M.D.

• Evaluating the utility of Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Advanced MR Imaging Techniques, such as MR Spectroscopy and MR Diffusion-Weighted Imaging, in IBC patients at the initial staging and for therapy response assessment.

Anthony Lucci, M.D.

• Investigating the role of COX-2 in cancer initiating cell phenotype (mammosphere culture), bone marrow micrometastases, and mechanisms of bone metastasis
• Evaluating CXCR4 antagonist plus Taxol in a mouse model of IBC
• Conducting mammosphere analysis: Cancer initiating cells and laser capture microscopy
• Maintaining IBC patient database, including CTC and DTC status, COX-2

Renata Pasqualini, Ph.D.

• Pursuing seamless integration of detection and therapy for breast cancer using targeted engineered nanoparticles
• Refining selection of therapeutic and diagnostic targets by phage display technology
• Pursuing utility of optical systems for in vivo molecular imaging of cancer
• Discovering regulatory roles for vascular peptidases in angiogenesis
• Identifying ligand-directed tumor targeting in preclinical models

James Reuben, Ph.D.

• Elucidating the role of EBV and MMTV in IBC
• Characterizating immune response in IBC
• Developing new molecular-based technologies to detect circulating tumor cells (CTC) while evaluating stem cell properties in CTCs, including Notch-1 expression and chemotherapeutic resistance

Fredika Robertson, Ph.D.

• Developing in vivo models of IBC
• Identifying targets for IBC-specific therapies based on characteristics of IBC tumor cells in vitro
• Exploring selective competitive EP4 antagonists to block IBC tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis in vivo for future clinical trials
• Confirming that the G-protein coupled receptor family member EP3 is significantly upregulated in IBC tumor cells
• Determining effects of NF-kB aptamers on IBC tumor cell growth, invasion and angiogenesis
• Evaluating new tyrosine kinase inhibitors for effect on IBC tumor growth, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis
• Developing platforms for IBC characterization: Preparation for analysis of IBC patient serum samples and IBC tumors for genomic and proteomic profiling, histopathological analysis, and glycomic analysis

Naoto Ueno, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P.

• Elucidating the role of EMT, metastasis, and cancer stem cells in IBC
• Elucidating the role of angiongenisis in IBC
• Elucidating the role of ERK pathway in IBC
• Conducting whole genome analysis of IBC

Vicente Valero, M.D., F.A.C.P.

• Investigating breast neoplasms, unusual histologies, new drug development, and clinical trials targeting health disparities
• Treating inflammatory breast cancer utilizing new biological agents, gene profiling, and clinical trials.

Wendy Woodward, M.D., Ph.D.

• Providing conformal radiation therapy for patients with IBC
• Characterizing radiation resistance in IBC stem cells
• Examining mechanisms of sensitizing IBC to radiation including targeting stem cell signaling pathways, IGFR signaling, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in IBC cells and tumor models

Wei T. Yang, M.D.

• Evaluating the use of FDG PET/CT in the initial staging of IBC