Cancer Biology Research

Since the signing of the National Cancer Act in 1971 there has been enormous growth in our understanding of cancer biology and we are beginning to see the application of this knowledge to develop improved treatments for cancer. Faculty in the Pharmacology Department are at the forefront of this research with the broad goal of developing a detailed understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms that drive cancer cell behavior and then applying this understanding to develop better, more tailored treatments for cancer. This concept, which exemplifies the idea of personalized medicine, is pursued in close collaboration with our colleagues in the University of Colorado Cancer Center to ensure that discoveries in the Department can be rapidly translated to the clinic.

Specific areas of cancer biology research in the Department include the study of mechanisms of cancer drug resistance, metastasis and tumor cell growth and death using cell biological, structural, biochemical, genetic and bioinformatics approaches. Additionally we have a major emphasis on the development of methods to identify gene expression patterns and other markers that predict which patients will be most likely to benefit from treatment with a particular anti-cancer drug.