Investigators in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s cancer biology research group use molecular, genetic, pharmacological and biomedical tools to elucidate the molecular mechanisms regulating carcinogenesis, tumor metastasis, anti-cancer drug resistance, and cancer metabolism. Our faculty are highly collaborative and share the goal of improving therapy outcomes and cancer maintenance through fundamental pre-clinical animal models, and translational research, including clinical trials run by the Massey Cancer Center.
Our primary areas of research include the following:
- Bioactive lipid mediators and their metabolic regulation in cancer
- Cancer metabolism
- Tumor suppressors and oncogenes
- Epigenetics and transcriptional regulation
- Signal transduction pathways
- Drug discovery and repurposing
- Structural biology and drug design
Education
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology offers two robust, research-focused programs for graduate students.
Faculty are also active participants in research at VCU Massey Cancer Center and in the School of Medicine’s multidisciplinary neuroscience Ph.D. program.
Faculty
William A. Barton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
William A. Barton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry and
Laurence Booth, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Laurence Booth, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Sumitra Deb, Ph.D.
Professor
Sumitra Deb, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Deb Labs: people.vcu.edu/~sdeb/
Swati Deb, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Swati Deb, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Deb Labs: people.vcu.edu/~sdeb/
Paul Dent, Ph.D.
Professor
Paul Dent, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Xianjun Fang, Ph.D.
Professor
Xianjun Fang, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Gregorio Gil, Ph.D.
Professor
Gregorio Gil, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Christopher D. Green
Assistant Professor
Christopher D. Green
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D.
Professor
Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Michael Maceyka, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Michael Maceyka, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Can Senkal, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Can Senkal, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D.
Chair, Professor
Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D.
Chair, Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Brian Wattenberg, Ph.D.
Professor
Brian Wattenberg, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology