Cancer Research

Research Programs
Clinical Trials
Systems Medicine & Bioengineering
Chao Center for BRAIN
Research Programs

Research Programs

Clinical and translational research plays a vital role in determining treatment plans at Houston Methodist and in bringing tomorrow's cures to our patients today. Explore the bridges between research and clinical care that have been built by our interdisciplinary faculty team and global network of collaborators.
Basic Research Programs
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Clinical Trials

Cancer Clinical Trials

At Houston Methodist, our dedicated teams of world-renowned researchers help support the mission of our oncologists of bringing the latest technologies and advanced treatment options to patients as quickly and safely as possible. Our researchers conduct translational research and support numerous cancer-specific clinical trial protocols for brain, breast, liver, lung and many other forms of cancer.
Cancer Clinical Trials
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Systems Medicine & Bioengineering

Systems Medicine & Bioengineering (SMAB)

Our systems medicine and bioengineering research provides new avenues to understand the causes of diseases, identify biomarkers, discover therapeutic targets, and attain precision in disease management.
Systems Medicine & Bioengineering
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Chao Center for BRAIN

Ting Tsung & Wei Fong Chao Center for BRAIN

The Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Bioinformatics Research and Imaging for Neurosciences (BRAIN) at Houston Methodist is working toward the cures for Alzheimer's disease, stroke, brain cancer, and other related neurological disorders by applying the systems medicine paradigm that integrates and applies novel informatics, imaging, artificial intelligence, systems biology, clinical neuroscience, experimental therapeutics, and bioengineering methods in studying different neurological disorders.
Chao Center for BRAIN
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79

Faculty With Academic Appointments

202

Peer-reviewed Publications in 2023

Innovation Awards

The Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center Innovation Award was launched in 2019 to promote transdisciplinary teamwork within the center. This internal peer-reviewed funding mechanism is designed to promote pilot projects that solve cancer challenges in a team-based approach. The research strength of each application is determined by how well the science fits within the cancer center's strategic research programs with priority given to multi-PI research projects.

2023 Awards

Innovation:

 

  • Mechanisms and Targeting of Lysosome Biogenesis in Tumor Persisten

  • Exploring the tumor repressive activity of ERβ mRNA-based therapy in aggressive forms of breast cancer

IIT:
  • Phase II trial of an iNOS inhibitor plus tremelimumab and durvalumab in patients with metastatic or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Phase I Trial of 5-Fluoruracil (5FU)-based Therapy in Combination with Hydoxytyrosol (HT) in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
  • Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Novel, Blood Epigenetic Marker for Assessing Measurable Residual Disease in Patients with AML

  • High dose RA TE brachytherapy prior to robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy with selective adjuvant advanced androgen blockage for localized high-risk prostate cancer (NEOHDR-B)

CAR-T:
  • Armored, affinity-tuned EpCAM CAR T cells for gastric cancer
    • Moonsoo M. Jin, PhD
2022 Awards

Innovation:

 

IIT:
  • Combination Therapy Using ATRA and Carfilzomib to Treat Proteasome Inhibitor Refractory Multiple Myeloma
2021 Awards

 

2020 Awards
  • LINE-1 Retroelement Expression and Lung Cancer Immune Evasion

  • Nuclear Receptor 4A1 (NR4R1) Antagonists as Immunotherapy Mimics for Targeting PD-L1 in Colon Cancer

  • Nano-immunotherapy Targeting Macrophages to Arrest Liver Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer

  • Exploration of Early-Stage Biomarkers of Urothelial Cell Transformation Induced by Chronic Arsenic Exposure

  • Multi-Omics Profiling Of Squamous Cell Lung Cancer
    • Randa El-Zein, PhD
2019 Awards
  • Identification of Epigenetic and Immune Biomarker Changes During the Progression of Non-Alcohol Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  • Harnessing Immune-checkpoint Therapy for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
    • Ping-Yan Pan, PhD
    • Shu-Hsia Chen, PhD

  • Characterization of Breast Microbiome in Triple-negative Breast Cancer and Prediction of Immunotherapy Response
Shared Resources (Core Facilities)

In support of its research activities, the Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center has developed a number of shared resources. These resources are available to all Houston Methodist investigators to facilitate their research goals. Our Shared Resources provides state-of-the-art support services and technologies that deliver empowering and cost-effective support to our clinical, population and basic science investigators.

 

 

Recent Cancer Research
Breast Cancer Cells
Nanomedicine Makes Big Strides in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
Researchers deliver immunotherapy directly into triple-negative breast cancer tumors with nanofluidic implants, achieving tunable and sustained dosing of immunotherapeutics with high anti-tumor activity.
Predicting the Future of Cancer Treatment

Houston Methodist faculty developed a multiscale mechanistic model to further investigate the role of miR-155 in non-small cell lung cancer and predict clinical efficacy based on preclinical data.

New Perspectives in Pancreatic Cancer Management

Molecular alterations found in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma samples may have potential therapeutic implications

woman sitting near an MRI machine
CPRIT Funds Cancer Research

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has awarded $3.4 million in funding to two Houston Methodist cancer researchers for projects to improve cancer prevention in underserved communities and advance the development of more effective multiple myeloma treatments.

man and healthcare worker looking over clipboard
Therapies for Localized Prostate Cancer
Houston Methodist Researchers Examine Two Therapeutic Strategies And Their Impact On Survival For Localized Prostate Cancer.
half-smoked cigarette on empty background
Cell Division Aberrations Caused by Cigarette Smoke Could Help Detect Cancer Early

Houston Methodist researchers have found that exposure to cigarette smoke can induce both centrosome amplification and clustering in normal lung epithelial cells, making them cancerlike.

man talking to healthcare worker
An Ongoing Phase II Clinical Trial for Bladder Cancer
Combining Neoadjuvant Drug Sasanlimab and Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy May Improve The Quality Of Life In Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients

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