- Vice Dean for Research & Innovation, School of Medicine
- Goodman-Blum Professor in Cancer Research
- Professor, Department of Biochemistry
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I am the Vice Dean for Research & Innovation in the School of Medicine and the Goodman-Blum Professor in Cancer Research at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and its Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC), which encompasses more than 400 cancer researchers and supports all cancer-related research activities at CWRU, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and the Cleveland Clinic. I previously served as a member of the Case CCC’s Executive Committee as a Special Advisor to the Director (2/21-10/24); I also Directed the Case CCC’s (i) Pilot Funding & Strategic Investments Program (11/18-10/24); (ii) Athymic Animal & Preclinical Therapeutics Core (4/19-6/24); and (iii) Breast Cancer Program (6/10-11/17). I also Chaired the Cancer Curriculum Committee which was charged with revamping and developing an Integrated Cancer Biology Training Program within the School of Medicine. Collectively, these day-to-day activities, coupled with additional leadership and service ventures detailed below, have amply prepared me for the rigors of leading and overseeing this intriguing application. My research program seeks to identify the cellular and molecular defects that enable breast cancer and other cancers to metastasize, and to establish and eventually emerge from metastatic dormancy. In addressing these objectives, our research is broad and includes interests in TGF-b and cell signaling, cellular and metabolic plasticity related to CSCs, EMT programs, and telomere maintenance mechanisms. Additional interests are directed at understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for tumor heterogeneity, as well as emerging and strengthening interests in the noncoding and epigenomes, particularly alternative splicing events driven by lncRNAs. Our findings have resulted in 6 patents and been published in more than 150 manuscripts and chapters that have been cited >18,600 times. I have been continuously funded by the NCI and other agencies and foundations since 2003.
Education & Training History
9/85-6/87 University of Wisconsin, College of Arts and Sciences, Madison, WI.
8/87-12/90 University of Nevada-Reno, College of Arts and Sciences, Reno, NV.
B.S. in Premedicine, Graduated with Distinction
7/91-12/96 University of Washington, Department of Pharmacology, Seattle, WA.
Education & Training History
9/85-6/87
University of Wisconsin, College of Arts and Sciences, Madison, WI.
8/87-12/90
University of Nevada-Reno, College of Arts and Sciences, Reno, NV.
B.S. in Premedicine, Graduated with Distinction
7/91-12/96
University of Washington, Department of Pharmacology, Seattle, WA.
Ph.D. in Pharmacology (Advisors: Dr. Neil M. Nathanson & Edwin G. Krebs)
2/97-1/01 Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research/M.I.T, Cambridge, MA.Postdoctoral Fellow (Advisor: Dr. Harvey F. Lodish)
Professional Positions
A. Primary Appointments
- 2/01-6/06 Assistant Professor, Program in Cell Biology, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO.
- 7/06-8/06 Associate Professor, Program in Cell Biology, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO.
- 8/06-5/10 Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO.
- 6/10-6/14 Associate Professor, General Medical Sciences-Oncology, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 6/10-pres. Member, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 6/10-11/17 Director, Breast Cancer Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 6/10-7/13 Leader, TGF-b Focus Group, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 6/11-pres. Member, National Center for Regenerative Medicine, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 7/13-10/15 Leader, TME & Metastasis Focus Group, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 7/14-1/22 Professor, General Medical Sciences-Oncology, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 11/18-10/24 Director, Pilot Funding & Scientific Investments, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 4/19-6/24 Director, Athymic Animal & Preclinical Therapeutics Core, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 2/21-10/24 Senior Advisor to the Director, Executive Committee, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 1/22-pres. Vice Dean for Research & Innovation, School of Medicine, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 1/22-pres. Director, Office of Translation & Innovation, School of Medicine, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.
- 2/22-pres. Professor, Department of Biochemistry, CWRU, Cleveland, OH. 7/24-10/24 Interim Vice Dean for Graduate Studies, School of Medicine, CWRU, Cleveland, OH.