MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR, Jorge Moscat, PhD
The department of cancer and cell biology is a basic science department with a research focus on the molecular basis of cancer. The department was formed in March, 2008 through the merger of the department of molecular oncogenesis and the department of cell and cancer biology, to create a combined faculty of nearly 40 researchers with expertise in genetics, immunology, and nutrient signaling. The department is part of a joint cancer program involving the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and University Hospital.
The department has already secured a significant level of extramural grant and contract funding from the NIH, the Department of Defense, other federal and state agencies, disease foundations such as the American Cancer Society, and pharmaceutical and biotech organizations. Investigators in the department enjoy a far-reaching network of collaborations with other researchers at the University of Cincinnati, the nearby Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and other academic, clinical, and industry centers in the United States and worldwide. The principal investigators of the cancer and cell biology department conduct research on topics that include breast, ovarian, prostate, lung, kidney, and liver cancer, and leukemia; signal transduction pathways central to cancer; the role of inflammation in cancer initiation and progression; the genetic epidemiology of lung cancer; environmental carcinogenesis; and the relationship between cancer and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. In the next several years, the department anticipates expanding its research efforts by recruiting new faculty members with compatible interests.
The department offers a graduate studies program that ranked first in student satisfaction in a national survey of doctoral programs, houses several NIH-funded training grants, and includes nearly 70 faculty members with expertise in cancer- and cell biology-related fields. Doctoral students take a panel of core courses, participate in journal club and seminar programs, spend time in several faculty laboratories, and then pursue their thesis research in the laboratory that best matches their interests. Additionally, the department is committed to offering high-quality training experiences to postdoctoral fellows, with over now working in the full range of our research programs.
Researchers in the department of cancer and cell biology have ready access to a wide range of resources. The department is housed in the Frank Gehry-designed Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, with outstanding research space and ancillary facilities, and the Genome Research Institute (GRI), a state-of-the-art facility devoted entirely to biomedical research. The Vontz Center houses the Center for Biological Microscopy, while the GRI is home to the University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Proteomics Core facility.
The combination of academic research with state-of-the-art laboratory space, extensive core facilities, and ample opportunity for interaction with clinical faculty makes the cancer and cell biology department a fast-paced and growing organization. This site will give you a picture of our current operations and plans for the future.
