The main research interests of the Chévez-Barrios laboratory include retinoblastoma, cancer stem cells, suicide gene therapy for retinoblastoma, metastatic properties of retinoblastoma, and preclinical models of the tumor. Ocular gene therapy, cataractogenesis, vascular proliferation in hypoxic ocular diseases, and corneal diseases are also topics of interest. The Chévez-Barrios laboratory is currently participating in a project on gene therapy for retinoblastomas in collaboration with the Texas Children’s Cancer Center, the Center for Gene Therapy of Texas Children's Hospital, and Baylor College of Medicine. Pre-clinical studies and a phase 1 clinical trial of vitreous seed in retinoblastoma have been completed. The phase II clinical trial is in preparation.

Dr. Chévez-Barrios is a committee member and responsible for evaluating all enucleated eyes from the prospective multicenter study of the ARET0332 Children’s Oncology Group protocol on “A Study of Unilateral Retinoblastoma With and Without Histopathologic High-Risk Features and the Role of Adjuvant Chemotherapy.” She is is also interested in the biological differences between retinoblastoma cell lines with the capability for metastasis, and those that behave less aggressively and remain as intraocular tumors.