Faculty
About Our Faculty
The program currently includes 65 faculty across 26 departments representing various University of Texas components or affiliates. These include MD Anderson Cancer Center; the Medical School, Dental Branch and GSBS at UT-Houston; Texas A & M University; and the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) in Clear Lake. Many of the faculty are noted specialists in their areas of study and have trained students who have achieved success in academic and industrial settings. Program faculty have been honored with distinguished education awards, recognizing their achievements in all aspects of graduate and post-graduate training.
The faculty’s interests are wide-ranging and encompass basic mechanistic studies in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, radiation physics, immunology and other cancer-related fields. Faculty also participate in translational research focused on problems of immediate clinical applicability. We have the world's leading experts in cancer metastasis research and cancer cell signaling.
- Amin, Hesham, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Hematopathology
Research Interests: Signal transduction, Apoptosis, Cell cycle, Cytokines Molecular targets
Email: hamin@mdanderson.org - Andreeff, Michael, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Blood & Marrow Transplantation
Research Interests: Apoptosis, drug resistance, cell cycle, gene therapy
Tel: 713-792-7260
Email: mandreef@mdanderson.org - Bar-Eli, Menashe, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Melanoma, tumor metastasis, gene expression, tumor suppressor genes
Tel: 713-794-4004
Email: mbareli@mdanderson.org - Bast, Robert C., Jr., M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Therapeutics
Research Interests: Biomarkers (antigens and autoantibodies) for early detection of ovarian cancer; kinase regulation of paclitaxel sensitivity; imprinted tumor suppressor genes (ARHI/DIRAS, PEG3, SNRPN, NDN); autophagy; and tumor dormancy
E-mail: rbast@mdanderson.org - Bögler, Oliver, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Center
Research Interests: Research Interests: Molecular and cellular biology of gliomas, Signal transduction, Phosphoproteomics, Mass Spectrometry, Receptor tyrosine kinase regulation, Nuclear signaling by Receptor Tyrosine Kinases, Glial transformation, Novel platinum chemotherapeutics
Email: obogler@mdanderson.org - Boyd, Douglas, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Transcription, tumor cell invasion, metastases
Tel: 713-792-8953
Email: dboyd@mdanderson.org - Chandra, Joya, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Pediatrics
Research Interests: Oxidative stress-dependent signaling, Induction of oxidative stress by biologically targeted agents, Apoptosis induction as a consequence of proteasome inhibition, Biology of pediatric and adult leukemias
Email: jchandra@mdanderson.org - Chen, Junjie, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Radiation Oncology
Research Interests: Biochemical and molecular aspects ofbreast/ovarian cancers and the roles of tumor suppressor genes in DNA damage-signaling pathways. We also study mitotic regulation and potential link between dynamic regulation of chromatin structures and tumorigenesis
Email: jchen8@mdanderson.org - Chiao, Paul, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Surgical Oncology, Molecular & Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Transcription, NF-kappaB, pancreatic cancers
Tel: 713-794-1030
Email: pjchiao@mdanderson.org - Claret, François X. Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular Therapeutics
Research Interests: Signal transduction; cell cycle control; oncogenes
Tel: 713-563-4204
Email:fxclaret@mdanderson.org - Dai, Jiale, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular Pathology
Research Interests: Tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes, signal transduction
Tel: 713-792-4322
Email: jldai@mdanderson.org - Ellis, Lee, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Angiogenesis, colon cancer
Tel: 713-792-6926
Email: lellis@mdanderson.org - Fan, Zhen, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Therapeutics
Research Interests: Breast cancer therapeutics, breast cancer development signaling and resistance to molecular-targeted therapies
Email: zfan@mdanderson.org - Fang, Bingliang, M.D., Ph.D.
Dept of Thoracic Surgery - Fidler, Isaiah, D.V.M./Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, immunotherapy
Tel: 713-792-8580
Email: ifidler@mdanderson.org - Flores, Elsa, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Tumor suppressor genes, DNA damage, apoptosis, gene expression, transcriptional regulation, mouse genetics
Tel: 713-792-0413
Email: elsaflores@mdanderson.org - Gallick, Gary, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Tyrosine kinases, malignant transformation
Tel: 713-792-3657
Email: ggallick@mdanderson.org - Boyi Gan, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Radiation Oncology
Research Interests: metabolic signaling in cancer development, aging and stem cell maintenance
Tel: 713-792-8653
Email: bgan@mdanderson.org - Gershenwald, Jeffrey, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Surgical Oncology and Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Melanoma, metastasis, gene expression and gene expression profiling, gene regulation, lymphatic metastases, lymphangiogenesis
Email: jgershen@mdanderson.org - Gomez-Manzano, Candelaria, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Neuro-Oncology and Cancer Genetics
Research Interests: Cancer stem cells, Brain tumors, Tie2-multicompartmental role, Tumor microenvironment, Mechanisms of tumor resistance
Email: cmanzano@mdanderson.org - Grimm, Elizabeth, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Deputy Division Head for Research Affairs, Division of Cancer Medicine. Professor, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology - Research, Division of Cancer Medicine
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment: Professor, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center
Research Interests: Interleukins, cytotoxic lymphocytes, macrophages, kinases - Tel: 713-792-3667
Email: egrimm@mdanderson.org - Hittelman, Walter, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Therapeutics
Research Interests: Genomic instability, cell cycle, chemoprevention
Tel: 713-792-2961
Email: wnhittel@mdanderson.org - Huang, Peng, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular Pathology
Research Interests: Research Interests: Mechanisms of cancer therapeutics; Anticancer agents; Cancer cell energy metabolism; Role of mitochondria in ROS generation and drug-induced apoptosis; Free radical/redox regulation and signaling; Role of p53 in DNA damage and apoptosis; CLL
Email: phuang@mdanderson.org - Huang, Suyun, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Neurosurgery and Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of tumor metastasis; angiogenesis; transcriptional factors; molecular diagnosis and therapy
Tel: 713-834-6232
Email: suhuang@mdanderson.org - Hughes, Dennis P.M., M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Pediatrics
Research Interests: Cell signaling; small molecule inhibitors; ERBB family members (EGFR, Her-2, Her-4, etc.); nuclear trafficking of receptors; osteosarcoma; Ewing Sarcoma; clinical monitoring
Tel: 713-563-9270
Email: dphughes@mdanderson.org - Hung, Mien-Chie, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular & Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Oncogenes, cell cycle, signal transduction, gene expression
Tel: 713-792-3668
Email: mhung@mdanderson.org - Jin, Jianping, Ph.D.
Affiliation: UT Health Science Center/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Ubiquitin Signaling Pathway; Inflammatory Response in Breast Cancers; Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Megakaryocyte Differentiation
Email: Jianping.Jin@uth.tmc.edu - Johnson, Randy, Ph.D.
Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Keyomarsi, Khandan, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Radiation Oncology
Research Interests: Breast cancer, cell cycle control, drug-targeting
Tel: 713-792-4845
Email: kkeyomar@mdanderson.org - Kleinerman, Eugenie, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Pediatrics
Tel: 713-792-8110
Email: ekleiner@mdanderson.org - Kolonin, Mikhail G., Ph.D.
Affiliation: UT Health Science Center/Institute of Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Research
Research Interests: Mesenchymal stem cells, mechanisms of adult stem cell, mobilization/migration/engraftment, Role of mesenchymal stem cells in cancer vasculogenesis, Role of adipose tissue/adipose stem cells in cancer progression
Email: Mikhail.G.Kolonin@uth.tmc.edu - Koo, Ja Seok, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Department of Thoracic, Head and Neck Medical Oncology
Research Interests: Mucous and squamous differentiation of bronchial epithelium Retinoids, CREB, Mucin, Inflammation, Cytokine, Airway secretions, Lung cancer
Email: jskoo@mdanderson.org - Kurzrock, Razelle, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Bioimmunotherapy
Research Interests: Cytokine deregulation, chromosomal translocations
Tel: 713-794-1226
Email: rkurzroc@mdanderson.org - Lee, Ju-Seog, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Systems Biology
Research Interests: Systems biology, Gene expression profile, Cancer genomics, Microarray, Proteomics, Integromics
Email: jlee@mdanderson.org - Lee, Min Gyu, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Histone modifications, Histone-modifying enzymes, Gene regulation, Epigenetics, Tumor Supression and Cancer
Email: mglee@mdanderson.org
- Lee, Mong-Hong, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Cell cycle regulation, gene knock-out, gene expression
Tel: 713-794-1323
Email: mhlee@mdanderson.org - Lev, Dina, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Soft tissue sarcoma, Chemoresistance, Angiogensis, Lymphangiogenesis, Metastasis, Pre-clinical therapeutic models, Tumor microenvironment, Gene therapy, p53 tumor suppressor gene function, Signal transduction pathways,High throughput assays
Email: dlev@mdanderson.org - Lin, Hui-Kuan, Ph.D.
Assistant Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Tumor suppressor gene/oncogene in cancer development, Protein phosphorylation
Email: hklin@mdanderson.org - Lin, Shiaw-Yih, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular Therapeutics
Research Interests: Cellular immortalization, genomic instability, metastasis
Tel: 713-563-4217
Email: sylin@mdanderson.org - Lin, Xin, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Signal transduction; activation of NF-kB family of transcription factors; protein phosphorylation; lymphocyte activation, development and differentiation; cell proliferation and tumorigenesis
Tel: 713-792-8969
Email: xlin@mdanderson.org - Liu, Mingyao, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Institute of Biosciences and Technology
Research Interests: G-protein coupled receptors; G-proteins; molecular basis of signal transduction; mechanism of human stem cell differentiation
Tel: 713-677-7505
Email: mliu@ibt.tmc.edu - Logsdon, Craig D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology and GI Medical OncologyResearch Interests: Pancreatic disease, biomarker discovery, cancer cell biology, molecular biology, gene therapy, inflammation
Tel: 713-563-3585
Email: clogsdon@mdanderson.org - Lu, Xiongbin, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: DNA damage signaling pathways, MicroRNA biogenesis, p53 tumor suppressor, Protein phosphatases and deubiquitinases
Tel: 713-745-6247
Email: xlu2@mdanderson.org - Lu, Zhimin, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Neuro-Oncology and Molecular/Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Signal transduction, Oncogenesis, Tumor cell migration, Invasion and metastasis, Cancer metabolism
Email: zhiminlu@mdanderson.org - Ma, Li, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer, Experimental Radiation Oncology
Research Interests: MicroRNA-mediated regulation of metastasis Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) Stem cells Molecularly targeted therapeutics
Email: lma4@mdanderson.org - Mani, Sendurai A., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular Pathology
Research Interests: Metastasis, EMT, normal/cancer stem cells
Tel: 713-792-9638
Email: smani@mdanderson.org - McCarty, Joseph, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Cerebrovascular disease; angiogenesis; cell adhesion and signaling; blood-brain barrier; brain cancer and metastasis
Tel: 713-792-0429
Email: jhmccarty@mdanderson.org - McConkey, David, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Apoptosis, tumor metastasis
Tel: 713-792-8591
Email: dmcconke@mdanderson.org - Mehta, Kapil, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Bioimmunotherapy
Research Interests: Mechanisms of retinoid action and drug resistance
Tel: 713-792-2649
Email: kmehta@mdanderson.org - Meric-Bernstam, Funda, M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Surgical Oncology
Research Interests: Breast Cancer, cancer biology, molecular oncology, gene expression, translational regulation, signal transduction, molecular therapeutics
Email: fmeric@mdanderson.org - Mills, Gordon, M.D, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson CancerCenter/Molecular Therapeutics
Research Interests: Ovarian cancer, signal transduction, human cancer genetics
Tel: 713-792-4687
Email: gmills@mdanderson.org - Myers, Jeff, M.D./Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Orthotopic models of oral cancer, anoikis, tumor progression
Tel: 713-745-2667
Email: jmyers@mdanderson.org - Naora, Honami, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular Therapeutics
Research Interests: Cell differentiation, embryonic patterning, tumor histogenesis and tumor behavior, cancers of female reproductive organs
Tel: 713-563-4222
Email: hnaora@mdanderson.org - Navone, Nora, M.D./Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/G.I. Medical Oncology
Research Interests: Prostate cancer, p53, TGF-beta, tumor progression
Tel: 713-792-2830
Email: nnavone@mdanderson.org - Park, Jae-Il, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Radiation Oncology
Research interests: Telomerase dynamics, Telomerase regulation, Cells of origin in cancer and stem cells, Wnt pathway in cancer and stem cell regulation
Email: jaeil@mdanderson.org - Pollock, Raphael, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Surgical Oncology
Research Interests: Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in soft tissue sarcoma
Email: rpollock@mdanderson.org - Sarbassov, Dos, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Research Interests: Cell signaling, Cell growth regulation, proliferation, survival, and migration, Rapamycin and the mTOR (mammalian Target Of Rapamycin) pathway, Kinases and phosphatases, Anti-cancer drug development.
Email: dsarbass@mdanderson.org - Sood, Anil K., M.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Gynecologic Oncology and Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Vascular development in cancer, receptor tyrosine kinase regulation, invasion, metastasis
Tel: 713-745-5266
Email: asood@mdanderson.org - Sun, Shao-Cong, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Immunology
Research interests: NF-kB signaling, protein ubiquitination, autoimmunity, inflammation and cancer
Email: ssun@mdanderson.org - Travis, Elizabeth, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Experimental Radiation Oncology
Research Interests: Molecular genetics, radiosensitivity
Tel: 713-792-4861
Email: etravis@mdanderson.org - Tsai, Kenneth, M.D., Ph.D.
Dept of Dermatology & Immunology - Tyler, Jessica, Ph.D.
Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Ueno, T. Naoto, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Research Interests: Gene therapy, cell cycle, apoptosis, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, kidney cancer
Tel: 713-792-8754
Email: nueno@mdanderson.org - Wang, Zhengxin, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Mechanisms of action of androgen receptor in the regulation of prostate-specific gene expression with an emphasis on how de-regulation leads to prostate cancer
Email: zhenwang@mdanderson.org - Wong, Kwong-Kwok, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Gynecologic Oncology
Research Interests: Molecular pathogenesis of ovarian cancers, next generation sequencing, cancer cell signaling pathways
Email: kkwong@mdanderson.org - Wu, Xiangwei, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Head & Neck Surgery
Email: xwwu@mdanderson.org
Research Interests: Mechanisms of p53 and death receptor-mediated apoptosis and applications in chemoprevention and cancer therapy - Xie, Keping, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, gene regulation, molecular diagnosis and therapy
Tel: 713-792-2013
Email: kepxie@mdanderson.org - Xu, Xiaochun, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Clinical Cancer Prevention
Research Interests: Retinoids and their nuclear receptors in cell differentiation, carcinogenesis, and chemoprevention; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in carcinogenesis and chemoprevention; biomarkers for carcinogenesis and tumor promotion
Tel: 713-745-2940
Email: xxu@mdanderson.org - Yu, Dihua, M.D./Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Surgical Oncology
Research Interests: Cancer metastasis, drug resistance, oncogenes, suppressor genes
Tel: 713-792-3636
Email: Dyu@mdanderson.org - Zhang, Wei, Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Pathology
Research Interests: Cell cycle, cell death, signal transduction, radiotherapy
Tel: 713-745-1103
Email: wzhang@mdanderson.org - Zweidler-McKay, Patrick, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center/Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests: Leukemias, Neuroblastoma Molecular therapeutics, Xenograft models
Tel: 713-563-5395
Email: pzweidler@mdanderson.org