Research
Overview
I am a successful clinical investigator with background in bench research focused on DNA repair pathways in cancer and chemotherapy resistance. Specifically, I am evaluating the role of an unregulated ATR-CHEK1 pathway in the development of resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in bladder cancer. I hold multiple patents (US 8,173,366 B2, US 8,263,329 and US 8,466,123) for my research titled “Genetic Changes in ATM and ATR/CHEK1 as Prognostic Indicators in Cancer.” I have participated in multiple investigator initiated, cooperative group and industry sponsored clinical studies in genito-urinary malignancies at the University of Kansas.
As a leader in the field of bladder cancer, I laid the groundwork for the future clinical studies by developing the bladder cancer clinical trials portfolio, collaborating closely with basic scientists, pathologists and urologists. I have established strong ties with our community providers, which will make it possible to recruit and track participants in clinical studies for bladder cancer. For my expertise, I served on the UPCI Protocol Review Committee for 5 years and was a member of the University of Pittsburgh, Institutional Review Board, where I reviewed and critiqued research studies prior to activation. I also served on the UPCI Data Safety and Monitoring Committee (DSMC) to review adverse events for patients enrolled on clinical trials at UPCI. Currently, I am a committee member for the University of Kansas, Institutional Review Board since 2018.
At the University of Pittsburgh, I was involved with opening 20 active therapeutic clinical trials for patients with advanced genito-urinary cancers, and approximately 400 patients have been enrolled onto therapeutic trials since my recruitment in 2012 till my departure in 2017. Serving as the local bladder cancer representative to SWOG and CCC, 43 bladder cancer patients 3 were enrolled to therapeutic trials, with 21 patients enrolled onto National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) trials over the past 3 years. In recognition of my contributions to the NCI Clinical Trials Programs, I was awarded the 2017 Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award (CCITLA) by the NIH-NCI.
In my role as Genito-urinary oncology director, I oversee all clinical and translational research in genito-urinary malignancies at the KU Cancer Center and enhance our activity in NRG Oncology and Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG). I am working closely with the California Cancer Consortium (CCC) and Hoosier network and I plan to open multiple NCTN studies through the CCC.
