Our laboratory is focused on translational lung cancer research.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States.
Furthermore, while the lung cancer incidence rates have declined in men, they continue to increase in women. These data and others suggest women may have an increased susceptibility to lung cancer compared to men with similar cigarette exposure. The research in the lab utilizes novel approaches to study the early pathogenesis of lung cancers with the goals of developing methods to enhance the early diagnosis of cancer and of understanding the important genetic and environmental susceptibility factors. In collaboration with Regina Santella, Ph. D.in the Joseph Mailman School of Public Health and with John Austin in the Department of Radiology, we will be evaluating a panel of biomarkers in asymptomatic cigarette smokers who are undergoing low dose-CT screening of the chest.