Department: Radiation Oncology

My research focus is on developing techniques to better predict the response of tumors to radiotherapy. Through a combination of experimental work (preclinical molecular imaging) and computational approaches (image processing and mathematical modeling), I aim to improve our ability to (a) infer biologically relevant information from imaging data, and b) reliably predict whether / how specific tumor regions are resistant to radiation therapy.

Our research is aimed at defining the pathways of p53-mediated apoptosis and tumor suppression, using a combination of biochemical, cell biological, and mouse genetic approaches. Our strategy is to start by generating hypotheses about p53 mechanisms of action using primary mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs), and then to test them using gene targeting technology in the mouse.

My current research is focused on evaluating and improving linac-based stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatment planning and delivery techniques, predicting dosimetric indices in prospective plans through automated data mining, and developing new approaches for planning and delivering prone partial breast irradiation.

My current research is on the clinical implementation of real-time image guided radiation therapy for prostate cancer with linear accelerators. The methodology will be extended to other types of tumors. I am also working in the development of an independent dose calculation algorithm for flattening filter free linear accelerators delivering intensity modulated radiation therapy.

I have been working in three main research areas connected by Monte Carlo simulations: 1) treatment planning for small animal radiotherapy, 2) x-ray fluorescence CT (XFCT) imaging for high-sensitivity molecular imaging, and 3) a novel concept of radiation therapy with very high-energy electron (VHEE) beams. I have performed dose measurements at at SLAC, modeled the beamline with Monte Carlo, optimized VHEE treatment plans and done high-dose-rate radiobiology experiments.

We seek to understand the mechanisms responsible for the resistance of cancers to treatment and to develop strategies to overcome these resistances. We are using molecular and cellular techniques and mouse models to potentiate the activity of radiation on tumors by inhibiting the bone marrow rescue of the tumor vasculature following therapy.

My research interests involve the early detection and characterization of cancer through the strategic integration of imaging tools including optics, MRI, x-ray, and nuclear medicine. I am also interested in improving minimally invasive therapies by incorporating sensing. My background encompasses medical device design and fabrication, and image reconstruction algorithms. The goal of this work is to provide significant, essential, and practical solutions to improve the treatment of disease.

My research interests involve the automatic segmentation and deformble registration of medical images for a high precision radiotherapy. The goals of my work are to mathematically model the human organ deformation and using such models to achieve an automatic segmentation of human organs from medical images.

I specialize in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. I am interested in developing stereotactic body radiotherapy for tumors of the liver, both primary and metastatic. I am interested in developing functional imaging as a means of determining treatment response with radiation. I am also interested in developing image-guided radiotherapy to improve radiation delivery for GI cancers to reduce toxicity and improve disease outcome.

My research interest is to explore cutting-edge imaging-guided techniques for radiation treatment planning and verification systems and then develop robust tools for clinical applications. Currently, I am working on the development of a cloud-computing Monte Carlo-based patient specific QA system for IMRT and VMAT therapies.

Financial Specialist Radiation Oncology division of Cancer Biology CCSR South Room 1255

Admin Support for Dr. Amato Giaccia

My research interests involve the design and development of algorithms for image reconstruction from projections and for therapy treatment planning. Applications include: IMxRT (using X-ray), IMpRT (using protons), VMAT, pCT, CT and more.

My laboratory studies cancer stem cell biology and its implications for therapy. We are interested in developing a deeper molecular understanding of breast cancer and lung cancer stem cells, including identifying pathways and genes important for survival and self renewal. Additionally, we are developing methods for overcoming resistance mechanisms to radiotherapy and chemotherapy in cancer stem cells. Clinically I specialize in the treatment of lung cancer and applications of radiosurgery.

Combined Modality Treatment of Cancer Late Effects of Treatment Genetic Effects of Cancer Rhabdomyosarcoma Hodgkins Disease Pediatric Radiation Oncolgy Pediatric Oncolgy Breast Cancer Conformal Radiotherapy/IMRT Radiotherapy for Benign Diseases

Image Guided Radiotherapy Stereotactic Radiosurgery High Dose Rate Brachytherapy

During the last five years, we have identified several small molecules that kill VHL deficient renal cancer cells through a synthetic lethal screening approach. Another major interest of my laboratory is in identifying hypoxia-induced genes involved in invasion and metastases. We are also investigating how hypoxia regulates gene expression epigenetically.

Dr. Gibbs is a board-certified radiation oncologist who specializes in the treatment of CNS tumors. Her research focuses on developing new radiation techniques to manage brain and spinal tumors in adults and children. Dr. Gibbs has gained worldwide acclaim for her expertise in Cyberknife robotic radiosurgery.

Head and neck, interstitial Bladder, prostate, breast IORT, stereotactic, pituitary (and brain) Osteos and other sarcomas, clinical hyperthermia

Applications of molecular imaging in radiation therapy, development of hypoxia and radiosensitivity imaging techniques, small animal image-guided conformal radiotherapy, image processing and analysis.

Outcomes of radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Clinical research interests in the late effects of radiation on normal tissues and chemical modification of radiation injury. Hodgkins's disease and late effects of radiation and combined modality therapy. Radiation sensitizers. Hypoxic cell cytotoxins. Esophageal cancers. General adult and pediatric radiation therapy.

Cyberknife treatment planning and other Cyberknife related research.

Irradiation immunosuppression; total body irradiation;, psychosocial effects of cancer treatment; treatment of lymphoma;, mycosis fungoides.

Development and integration of X-ray, MRI and US imaging technologies for radiation therapy guidance; Design of synergistic approaches to radiation therapy delivery; Treatment planning optimization and modeling.

Current research interests are inter- and intra- fractional motion, focusing on SBRT and realtime imaging. I have also recently been looking at quality assurance for gated VMAT delivery

Gynecologic malignancies; Rectal/and cancer; Breast Cancer; Hodgkin's disease; Hyperthermia; intraoperative radiation therapy; High dose rate radiation therapy; Predictive assays; Patterns of tumor spread; Health care finance.

Our interests include 1) study of the effect of radiation on regulatory cell subpopulations and co-stimulatory molecules, 2) use of radiation as an immune modulator for optimization of transplant regimens, 3) the role of radiation in tumor vaccine strategies, 4) study of new radiosensitizers and radioprotectors, and 5) discovery of new targeted therapies for the treatment of solid tumors.

The focus of my laboratory is to understand the role of hypoxia and the tumor microenvironment on malignant progression. My clinical area of interest is in the application of chemoradiotherapy and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for GI malignancies.

My laboratory research interest focuses on the identification of biomarkers for prognosis in patients with head & neck or lung cancers. I am also conducting a number of clinical trials specifically in patients with head & neck cancers.

Image-guided and adaptive radiotherapy; Motion management (4DCT, gating, tracking); Lung motion modeling and real-time imaging; Applications of machine learning in radiotherapy.

Image guided robotic radiosurgery

My clinical specialties are radiation treatment of lung and head & neck cancers, and I serve as the Tthoracic Radiation Oncology Program Leader. My research interests include 4-D multimodality imaging of tumor and organ motion using CT, PET, and MR; novel functional/metabolic imaging of tumor hypoxia, normal tissue inflammation, and lymphatic drainage; high-precision image-guided radiation therapy including 4-D IMRT, dynamic arc therapy, and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR).

1. Mathematical modeling of damage to tumors and normal tissues from irradiation. 2. Image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy. 3. Modeling the combined radiobiological effect of brachytherapy and external beam irradiation. 4. Development of clinical hypofractionated extracranial radiosurgery.

My research is focused on developing optical imaging technologies for the early detection and characterization of malignant tissue. Furthermore, I am interested in the design and implementation of novel radiation delivery approaches.

Tumor Hypoxia and Radioresistance

Development of web-based radiation treatment planning systems (RTPS) in a distributed computing environment (DCE) includes three major areas: Accurate and efficient dose calculation, Large-scale treatment plan optimization, and Knowledge-based radiation therapy planning.

1. IMRT Treatment planning 2. IGRT Radiation Therapy 3. Real time prostate implant 4. 4D CT and Respiratory Gating Radiation Therapy 5. HDR for breast cancer and GYN cancer 6. Xoft Electronic Brachytherapy

My research interests center around three areas of medical physics: radionuclide imaging, X-ray molecular imaging and high-performance medical computing. My research efforts aim to advance cancer care by integrating new imaging techniques into the clinical workflow, and further our basic understanding of cancer biology by designing new assays that can probe subtle biochemical processes in single cells.

Radiation effects on tumor cell migration.

The photochemistry and radiation chemistry of DNA, the genetic control and biochemical bases of the multiple pathways of DNA repair, and the roles of DNA repair processes in radiation and spontaneous mutagenesis. Over 190 papers have been published on these and related topics.

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My clinical and research interests focus on the development of new radiation techniques involving stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy for the treatment of malignant and benign tumors of the brain and spine, as well as functional disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia.

Novel biophotonic tomography with new contrast mechanisms including photoacoustic imaging, x-ray luminence imaging; Multi-modal imaging by integration of X-ray, PET, MRI, Optical and US imaging for tumor diagnosis and therapy guidance; My background encompasses medical device design and fabrication, and image reconstruction algorithms. The goal of this work is to provide significant, essential, and practical solutions to improve the treatment of disease.

Image-guided intervention, MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) and radionuclide imaging (PET/CT, SPECT/CT), biologically conformable radiation threapy (BCRT), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), treatment plan optimization, optimization of stereotactic radiosurgery, image segmentation and deformable image registration, application of molecular imaging to radiation oncology.