Urologic Cancers

Research Description

Dr. Kundu has successfully conducted and published on prospective evaluations of patients with urologic cancers including prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular cancer. He has found that the impact of cancer treatment goes beyond physical limitations associated with treatment. His current research aims to understand the complexities associated with patient expectations. This includes balancing factors associated with patient satisfaction including patient personality, the physician-patient relationship, information-processing style, and a comforting experience with healthcare environment.

Select Publications

• Victorson DE, Schuette D, Schalet BD, Kundu SD, Helfand BT, Novakovic K, Sufrin N, McGuire M, Brendler C. Factors Affecting Quality of Life at Different Intervals After Treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer: Unique Influence of Treatment Decision Making Satisfaction, Personality and Sexual Functioning. Journal of Urology, November 2016.

Research Description

Dr. Meeks’ group focuses on development, progression, and treatment of urothelial carcinoma. Using both murine models and translational approaches, the Meeks lab studies genetic and epigenetic changes, focusing on chromatin remodeling genes and genomic instability, integrating molecular biology and bioinformatics approaches. The Meeks lab also investigates immuno-oncology in bladder cancer, studying the immune response to urothelial carcinoma and manipulation of immune checkpoints to improve outcomes for patients. 

Select Publications

• Fantini D, Glaser AP, Rimar KJ, Wang Y, Schipma M, Varghese N, Rademaker A, Behdad A, Yellapa A, Yu Y, Sze CC, Wang L, Zhao Z, Crawford SE, Hu D, Licht JD, Collings CK, Bartom E, Theodorescu D, Shilatifard A, Meeks JJ. A Carcinogen-induced mouse model recapitulates the molecular alterations of human muscle invasive bladder cancer. Oncogene, April 2018.
• Ko OS, Weiner AB, Smith ND, Meeks JJ. Rates and Predictors of Conversion to Open Surgery During Minimally Invasive Radical Cystectomy. Journal of Endourology, April 2018.
• Glaser AP, Fantini D, Wang Y, Yu Y, Rimar KJ, Podojil JR, Miller SD, Meeks JJ. APOBEC-mediated mutagenesis in urothelial carcinoma is associated with improved survival, mutations in DNA damage response genes, and immune response. Oncotarget, December 2018.

Refer to PubMed for a full list of publications. 

Email Dr Meeks

Phone 312-695-8146

Research Description

Shad Thaxton MD, PhD, invented, synthesized, and characterized the first biomimetic high-density lipoprotein nanoparticles. High density lipoproteins (HDLs) are natural nanoparticles that circulate in the human body to carry cholesterol. Cholesterol carried by HDLs is often referred to as “good cholesterol” because HDL blood levels inversely correlate with the development of cardiovascular disease. The Thaxton Group utilizes a gold nanoparticle scaffold to assemble the natural surface chemical components of HDLs to create synthetic HDL nanoparticles. The HDL nanoparticles recapitulate the size, shape, surface chemistry, and cholesterol binding properties of natural HDLs. As such, The Thaxton Lab is using these unique biomimetic materials to better understand the structure-function properties of natural HDLs and also as potential therapies for atherosclerosis and heart disease.

For more information, see the faculty profile of  C. Shad Thaxton, MD, PhD

Publications

• Rink JS, Sun W, Misener S, Wang JJ, Zhang ZJ, Kibbe MR, Dravid VP, Venkatraman S, Thaxton CS. Nitric Oxide-Delivering High-Density Lipoprotein-like Nanoparticles as a Biomimetic Nanotherapy for Vascular Diseases.  ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, February 2018.
• Bell JB, Rink JS, Eckerdt F, Clymer J, Goldman S, Thaxton CS, Platanias LC. HDL nanoparticles targeting sonic hedgehog subtype medulloblastoma. Scientific Reports, January 2018.
• Mutharasan RK, Thaxton CS, Berry J, Daviglus ML, Yuan C, Sun J, Ayers C, Lloyd-Jones DM, Wilkins JT. HDL efflux capacity, HDL particle size, & high-risk carotid atherosclerosis in a cohort of asymptomatic older adults: The Chicago Healthy Aging Study. Journal of Lipid Research, January 2017.

View Dr. Thaxton's other publications at PubMed

Contact

Email Dr. Thaxton

Phone 312-503-1826

Lab Staff

Post-doctoral Fellows

Nick Angeloni, Kannan Mutharasan, Jonathan Rink

Graduate Students

Kaylin M. McMahon, Michael Plebanek, Sushant Tripathy, Andrea Luthi

Research Technician

Amritha Singh

Research Description

Dr. Wu's research focuses on understanding the very fundamental questions of cancer development and progression with the ultimate goal to translate our knowledge into clinics. Dr. Wu’s laboratory is interested in specific aspects of Onco-immune interaction and cancer biology:

1. Mechanisms of cancer immune evasion and development of novel cancer immunotherapy with specific focus on the NKG2D signaling pathways
2. Inflammation and cancer with focus on understanding the role of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 in cancer initiation and progression
3. Cancer biomarker discovery with focus on identifying biomarkers to distinguish progressive vs. indolent prostate cancer and to biomarkers to predict cancer patients at large who will be the better responders to immune checkpoint therapy

For more information please view the faculty profile of Jennifer Wu, PhD.

Recent Publications

View a full list of publications by Jennifer Wu at PubMed

Contact Us

Email Jennifer Wu, or phone at 312-503-1521