Revolutionary cancer treatments and care originate from fundamental bench science. Researchers in the Department of Cancer Biology conduct this work, as part of the KU Cancer Center, to enhance the center’s capacity for developing new cancer targeting drugs and therapies. The KU Cancer Center is recognized for its excellence in cancer research, education, and care by the National Cancer Institute, which designated it the only Comprehensive Cancer Center in our region.
Scientists in our department research a range of topics related to the treatment and prevention of cancer. This includes the role of immune cells in regulating cancer growth; how different lifestyle and behavior factors like obesity and age change cancer risk; genes which affect cancer metastasis; and how DNA damage and organization impact cancer cells. Moreover, our department researches numerous types of cancer including breast, colon, pancreatic, bladder, and many more.
The Cancer Biology department is also working to repurpose FDA-approved drugs for cancer treatment. With the Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation, researchers are taking advantage of drugs proven to be safe, to expedite advances in cancer treatment.
Learn More About Our Research
Find out more our active research by visiting our faculty page, where you can click to see the research interests and projects of each faculty member.