The Department of Cancer Biology is a basic science department at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The missions of our department are:

1. To build a strong team of basic researchers with a collaborative and translational mindset who will discover fundamental characteristics of cancer cells that can lead to novel therapeutic and preventive approaches which reduce cancer incidence, morbidities and mortality;
2. To understand the molecular genetic, epigenetic, biochemical, cellular and physiological bases of cancer etiology and progression;
3. To understand the interactions between tumor cells and the microenvironments in which they find themselves;
4. To utilize discoveries in Cancer Biology to discover novel cancer targeting approaches and patient-specific Liquid Biopsies.
5. To educate the next generation of cancer researchers, clinicians and patients.

Our department is funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the National Foundation for Cancer Research, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation.