UNMC_Acronym_Vert_sm_4c
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Cancer Biology Program

This program represents a long-standing commitment to cancer mechanisms-focused research.

The vision of the program is to understand the fundamental mechanisms that underlie cancer initiation and progression and to interface with other programs of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center  – including the Targets, Modulators and Delivery Program, and the Cancer Prevention & Control Program – that are positioned to translate these findings into new biomarkers and therapeutic targets, thereby positively impacting diagnosis, prevention, and treatment across cancers prevalent in our catchment area.

Co-Leaders

Elizabeth Bruce Professor of Cancer Research, UNMC Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases
Director of the Center for Breast Cancer Research
Research focus: Molecular Control of Tyrosine Kinase Signaling: Cell Biology and translation

402-559-8572

Hamid Band

Professor, UNMC Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases
Research focus: Cell proliferation; prostate and pancreatic cancer

402-559-5596

Jixin Dong

Themes and Goals

The Cancer Biology Program is organized into three themes and goals:

  1. Genome instability and cancer
    • Discover alterations of molecular mechanisms that maintain intact genomes.
  2. Signaling mechanisms in cancer
    • Discover alterations in intracellular signaling and tumor cell-microenvironment interactions.
  3. Cellular basis of cancer
    • Using in vitro and animal models, validate cancer mechanisms, biomarkers and targets.

Program Members

Elizabeth Bruce Professor of Cancer Research, UNMC Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases
Director of the Center for Breast Cancer Research
Research focus: Molecular Control of Tyrosine Kinase Signaling: Cell Biology and translation

402-559-8572

Hamid Band

Ardith and Anna Von Housen Professor and Chairwoman
Chair, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy
Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy

402-559-8565

Headshot of Vimla Band, PhD

Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy

402-559-8467

Headshot of Kishor Bhakat, PhD

Professor, UNMC Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases
Co-Director, Eppley Structural Biology Facility
Research Focus: Drug discovery in cancer and structural biology of DNA repair complexes

402-559-8578

Borgstahl Structural Biology Laboratory

Gloria Borgstahl

Professor, UNMC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Vice Chair for Administration
Full member, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

402-559-7556

Steve Caplan, PhD

Professor, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

402-995-3737

Carol Casey, PhD
CBP

Member Directory

Find the complete list of Cancer Biology program members in the Member Directory, and learn about their research focus, tools, and techniques that support team science.