Research Programs & Accomplishments

Ongoing Research Programs

• Phase I Trials of Anticancer Agents – This program seeks to perform early drug development in solid and hematologic tumors with performance of detailed  pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies – Michael Grever, MD
• Early Therapeutics Development with Phase II Emphasis. This program studies National Cancer Institute-sponsored novel anticancer agents in phase II clinical trials – Miguel Villalona, MD
• Comprehensive Program for the Prevention, Detection and Treatment of Lung Cancer –  This program  investigates inhalation programs for the prevention and detection of cancer. Several novel biomarkers for easy detection and innovative imaging modalities have been tested and developed – Gregory Otterson, MD
• Experimental Therapeutics in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. This Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) grant is being used to create new and improve current therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia – John Byrd, MD
• Epigenetic Targeted Therapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. This program is developing targeted therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoproliferative disorders – John Byrd, MD

Research Accomplishments of 2006

• Miguel Villalona, MD, received a $3 million phase II contract in early therapeutics development from the National Cancer Institute.
• Charles Shapiro, MD, was awarded a $1.25 million grant from The Lance Armstrong Foundation to establish a cancer survivors center at Ohio State that  will improve the care and quality of life of cancer survivors.
• Michael Grever, MD, is co-principal investigator (PI) for an $11.84 million program project grant awarded by the National Cancer Institute for “DNA methylation & chromatin modifications: mechanisms & applications in cancer therapy.” PI for this grant is Samson Jacob, PhD, of the Department of  Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry.
• Robert Baiocchi, MD, PhD, received a V Foundation Scholar Award to study Epstein-Barr virus-associated malignancies.
• Kristie Blum, MD, was awarded a National Cancer Institute grant targeting transcriptional repression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
• William Blum, MD, received a National Cancer Institute grant to help develop experimental therapeutics in adult leukemia.
• Steven Clinton, MD, PhD, landed a National Cancer Institute grant to study the effects of tomato-soy juice on prostate cancer.
• Thomas Lin, MD, PhD, was awarded a National Cancer Institute grant to study the efficacy of Flavopiridol in treating B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
• Guido Marcucci, MD, received a National Cancer Institute grant to research the pharmacologic modulation of chromatin remodeling in leukemia.
• Manisha Shah, MD, was awarded a National Cancer Institute grant for focusing on targeting RAF and VEGF signaling in thyroid cancer.
• Clara D. Bloomfield, MD, received the Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Achievement from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. She also was elected president of the Association for Patient Oriented Research and was named a Distinguished University Professor, Ohio State’s top faculty award.
• John Byrd, MD, was one of five researchers selected to receive the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Stohlman Scholar Award for outstanding contributions in blood cancer research.