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| Robert J. Coffey, Jr., M.D. | |
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| Jordan D. Berlin, M.D. |
Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Program
- Program Leader: Robert J. Coffey, Jr., M.D.
Co-Leader: Jordan D. Berlin, M.D.
Program Description
Scientific Goals
The Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Program is a highly interactive program rooted in basic studies of intestinal epithelial cell biology with a translational thrust and has been the springboard for a number of significant scientific, technical and programmatic advances. The major scientific goals are:
- To continue to use mouse models to address critical issues in the etiology, progression and treatment of gastrointestinal cancer
- To continue to develop investigator-initiated clinical trials in GI cancer with emphasis on agents that target critical signaling pathways studies by GI Program members (e.g., EGF receptor axis and COX-2)
- To foster internal and external scientific interactions to develop innovative diagnostic and/or predictive markers of and therapeutic approaches to GI neoplasia
- To initiate the development of a gastroesophageal cancer program; and
- To continue training students and post-doctoral fellows, and mentoring junior faculty to be the next generation of leaders in the field of GI cancer
Areas of Research Program Expertise
The GI Program members are pursuing better understanding of the mechanisms of GI cancers and treatment of the diseases using a number of innovative approaches. We have devised a three-pronged approach to colorectal cancer (CRC) that has proven to be an effective platform to advance our work as shown below:
Our efforts in Colorectal Cancer are the most developed within the GI Program. Currently there are five other areas of convergent scientific and clinical interest: 1) studies of gastroesophageal cancer; 2) studies of RIE-1 cells integrating Ras, EGFR, TGF-Beta, Cox-2 and related signaling events; 3) dysregulation of junctional proteins in GI neoplasia; 4) identification of diagnostic and/or predictive markers of GI neoplasia; and 5) mouse models of pancreatic carcinoma.
Program Members
Program members and academic departmental affiliations are listed below.
- R. Daniel Beauchamp, M.D., John Clinton Foshee Distinguished Professor of Surgery, Chair of the Section of Surgical Sciences
- Jordan D. Berlin, M.D., Clinical Director GI Oncology, Associate Professor of Medicine
- Ravi S. Chari, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., Professor of Surgery and Cancer Biology, Division Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Staff Surgeon, Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Robert J. Coffey, M.D., Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, Prof Med (GI/Med Oncology) & Cell and Developmental Biology
- Timothy L. Cover, M.D., Professor of Medicine
- Natasha G. Deane, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor
- Wael El-Rifai, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Director of Surgical Oncology Research
- Jeffrey L. Franklin, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor
- James R. Goldenring, M.D., Ph.D., Paul W. Sanger Professor, Vice-Chairman for Research
- David Lee Gorden, M.D. , F.A.C.S., Associate Professor of Surgery
- Steven K. Hanks, Ph.D., Professor
- Raymond C. Harris, M.D., Ann and Roscoe R. Robinson Professor, Director, Divsion of Nephrology and Hypertension
- Ethan Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Cell and Development Biology
- Anna L. Means, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery and Cell & Developmental Biology
- Nipun B. Merchant, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery (Surgical Oncology)
- Jason D. Morrow, M.D., F. Tremaine Billings Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, Director of the Research Center for Pharmacology and Drug Toxicology, Chief, Division of Clinical Pharmacology
- Harvey J. Murff, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine and Public Health)
- A. Scott Pearson, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery (Surgical Oncology)
- Richard Peek, M.D., Director, Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition), Associate Professor of Cancer Biology
- Albert B. Reynolds, Ph.D., Professor
- William E. Russell, M.D., Director, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Associate Professor Pediatrics and Cell & Developmental Biology
- Michaez Vaezi, M.D., Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology)
- M. Kay Washington, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology, Director of Surgical Pathology
- Keith T. Wilson, M.D., Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition), Professor of Cancer Biology, Director of Research and Director of Fellowship Training Program, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition
- Christopher V. Wright, Ph.D., Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology
- Alexander Zaika, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Cancer Biology and Surgery
