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Faculty & Staff

Scientific Leadership

Experimental Radiation Oncology (ERO) brings together internationally recognized scientists, physician-scientists and research leaders whose discoveries advance radiation biology, cancer therapeutics and translational science. Our investigators span diverse scientific disciplines and collaborate to accelerate innovation, improve patient outcomes and shape the future of radiation oncology. Through pioneering laboratory research, interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to mentorship and education, ERO faculty are advancing discoveries that ultimately benefit patients worldwide.

Junjie Chen, Ph.D.
Chair

The Chen Laboratory investigates the roles of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes in DNA repair and other signaling pathways involved in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis.

Research Interests:

Molecular mechanisms of DNA damage response and repair pathways in genome maintenance and tumor suppression
Proteomic analysis of oncogenic and tumor suppressive pathways
Investigation of gene-gene and gene-drug interactions involved in cancer development and therapy

Boyi Gan, Ph.D.
Professor

The Gan Laboratory investigates the role of metabolic stress-induced cell death, particularly ferroptosis in cancer biology. Current research focuses on understanding how metabolic vulnerabilities can be targeted to develop novel cancer treatments.

Research Interests:

The role and mechanisms of ferroptosis (a form of cell death induced by lipid peroxidation) in tumor suppression and how to target ferroptosis in cancer therapy
The role of cystine transporter SLC7A11 in the regulation of nutrient dependency and targeting its associated metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer therapy

Marian Kalocsay, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

The Kalocsay Laboratory uses quantitative mass spectrometry to understand receptor signaling. The laboratory has pioneered proximity-sensitive proteomics and proximity phosphoproteomics to define functional interactions and protein phosphorylation during signaling.

Research Interests:

Quantitative mass spectrometry to understand receptor signaling
Proximity-sensitive proteomics to define functional interactions in situ
Proximity phosphoproteomics to follow protein phosphorylation during signaling
Experimental models of tumor immune evasion to define receptor signaling
Understanding disease mechanisms and developing new therapeutics

Khandan Keyomarsi, Ph.D.
Professor

The KeyHunt Laboratory focuses on clinical and translational cancer research in solid tumors, primarily in breast cancers and sarcomas.

Research Interests:

Inhibition of LMW forms of cyclin E as a therapeutic target in combination therapy for triple negative breast cancer
Delineation of how the alteration of cyclin E, a G1 cyclin, could lead to the tumorigenic phenotype and determination of the oncogenic potential of the altered forms of cyclin E in breast cancer
Determination of the mechanism of action of intracellular elastase and its inhibitor elafin in tumorigenesis and subsequent metastasis
Examination of mechanisms of action and resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors in ER positive breast cancer patients
Identification of novel treatment strategies, targeting the cell cycle, for soft-tissue sarcomas

Li Ma, Ph.D.
Professor

The Ma Laboratory seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms of tumor progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance using multidisciplinary approaches and mouse models.

Research Interests:

Discovery and characterization of non-coding RNA functions in normal physiology, cancer, and metastasis
Identification of deubiquitinating enzymes as antitumor and anti-metastatic targets
Roles of developmental regulators in cancer development, metastasis, and response to therapy
Tumor microenvironment, tumor-host interactions, and metabolism in metastasis
Mechanisms of tumor radioresistance, drug resistance, and immunotherapy resistance
The relationship between tissue injury repair, regeneration, and cancer

Pawel Mazur, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

The Mazur Laboratory focuses on the identification of novel drug targets that can efficiently treat lung, stomach and pancreatic cancers, the three most deadly human malignancies. Our goal is to spearhead the development of novel targeted drugs and immunotherapies that enable precision medicine clinical trials for cancer patients.

Research Interests:

Pancreatic and lung cancer: the leading causes of cancer death
Adoptive immunotherapy: CAR T cell-based therapy development
Biochemistry: novel and "orphan" enzymes substrates discovery
Genetics: CRISPR/Cas9 animal models for cancer pharmacogenomic

Marvin L. Meistrich, Ph.D.

Research in the Meistrich/Shetty Laboratory is directed towards fertility preservation in boys and young men undergoing cancer therapy.

Research Interests:

The effects of radiation and chemotherapy on male germ cells
Fertility preservation for boys and young men undergoing cancer therapy

Jae-il Park, Ph.D.
Professor

The overarching goal of the Park Lab's research program is to understand the mechanisms of tissue regeneration and tumorigenesis by employing genetically engineered mice and organoids and to specifically answer two critical questions:

Is tumor cell plasticity a therapeutic vulnerability of cancer?
Can manipulating cell plasticity promote tissue regeneration, or even prevent tissue damage?

Helen Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D.
Professor

The Piwnica-Worms Laboratory identifies alterations with functional significance to the development and progression of invasive triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and examines how fasting and different diets protect small intestinal stem cells from lethal levels of DNA damage induced by chemotherapy or ionizing radiation.

Research Interests:

Identifying and targeting drivers of breast cancer metastasis
Identifying and targeting vulnerabilities in treatment-refractory primary TNBC
Defining features that enable indolent breast cancer to advance to aggressive disease
Elucidating how fasting and different diets protect small intestinal stem cells from lethal doses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy

Di Zhao, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

The Zhao Laboratory focuses on functional genomics of prostate cancer.

Research Interests:

Understandinging how oncogenic signaling pathways and the tumor microenvironment regulate cancer development and metastasis
Searching for biomarkers and context-specific therapeutic targets for personalized cancer medicine