Basic and Translational Research
Surgical oncology faculty members are involved in significant basic science and translational laboratory research programs, supported by the National Institutes of Health and a variety of other funding agencies. The types of cancer research conducted here include:

• Development of novel adenoviral vector gene therapy treatments for cancer
• Genetic studies of melanoma, breast, thyroid, GI, and lung cancers

• Innovative studies to explore how nipple aspirate fluid might hold the key to early breast cancer detection and to determine molecular markers of the best response to chemotherapy
• Studies of lymphangiogenesis in melanoma
• Studies to evaluate patient decision-making in breast, lung, and colorectal cancer
• Molecular staging of melanoma
• Investigation of oxidative stress in the progression of Barrett's esophagus to adenocarcinoma
• Nanoparticles and thyroid cancer
• The role of estrogen in thyroid cell proliferation
• The role of ethnic background in thyroid cancer
• Development of a large prospective parathyroid database
• Studies evaluating the impact of psychological and physiological stress on breast cancer
• Laboratory-based studies evaluating the impact of smoking on breast cancer development
• Collaborative work evaluating the impact of diet on estrogen metabolism in breast cancer
• Studies evaluating methods of tailoring therapy for breast cancer patients
• Novel agents for sentinel lymph node biopsy
• Studies evaluating accelerated partial breast radiation in breast cancer

Laboratory Investigators:
Yanbin Dong, Hong Ying Hao, Jorge G. Gomez-Gutierrez, Yan Li, Akhil Kumar