Lung cancer, esophageal cancer and malignant mesothelioma are the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States today. The Thoracic Surgery Research Laboratory is focusing on the design of new treatment strategies for lung cancer, esophageal cancer and mesothelioma based on the rapidly evolving disciplines of molecular biology, immunotherapy, and gene therapy. Multiple tumor models are in place to discover and test and develop targeted therapeutic agents.

In close collaboration with Dr. Steven M. Albelda and the Thoracic Oncology Research Laboratory, the major area of recent interest in the lab is augmentation of anti-tumor immune effects using several immunomodulators in combination with surgical techniques.
The primary drive of the laboratory’s immunological approach lies in the augmentation of currently available surgical procedures with cancer vaccinations which will act to modulate and disrupt the tumor microenvironment and other immunosuppressive factors inherent in a cancer patient. In particular, we are targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells through the use of anti-tumoral cytokines and adenoviral vectors.

Additionally, through the modeling of recurrent disease, we can develop better therapies to target and induce danger signaling pathways to recruit innate immunity to aid in eliminating lingering microscopic metastases.