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.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/100729_056_tk_arW.jpg)
William A. Barton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
![William A. Barton, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/100729_056_tk_arW.jpg)
William A. Barton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry and
![Laurence Booth, Ph.D.](/media/tssom-2018/images/headshots/silhouette.gif)
Laurence Booth, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
![Laurence Booth, Ph.D.](/media/tssom-2018/images/headshots/silhouette.gif)
Laurence Booth, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Sumitra Deb, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/sumitra-deb/sdeb.png)
Sumitra Deb, Ph.D.
Professor
![Sumitra Deb, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/sumitra-deb/sdeb.png)
Sumitra Deb, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Deb Labs: people.vcu.edu/~sdeb/
![Swati Deb, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/spdeb.png)
Swati Deb, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
![Swati Deb, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/spdeb.png)
Swati Deb, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Deb Labs: people.vcu.edu/~sdeb/
![Paul Dent, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/140320_063_5x7_ar_tkW.jpg)
Paul Dent, Ph.D.
Professor
![Paul Dent, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/140320_063_5x7_ar_tkW.jpg)
Paul Dent, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Xianjun Fang, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/xianjun-frank-fang/fang_home.png)
Xianjun Fang, Ph.D.
Professor
![Xianjun Fang, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/xianjun-frank-fang/fang_home.png)
Xianjun Fang, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Gregorio Gil, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/gregorio-gil/Gil_home.png)
Gregorio Gil, Ph.D.
Professor
![Gregorio Gil, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/gregorio-gil/Gil_home.png)
Gregorio Gil, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Christopher D. Green](/media/medschool2018/content-assets/images/green2.jpg)
Christopher D. Green
Assistant Professor
![Christopher D. Green](/media/medschool2018/content-assets/images/green2.jpg)
Christopher D. Green
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/090729_094_aj_cropW.jpg)
Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D.
Professor
![Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/090729_094_aj_cropW.jpg)
Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Michael Maceyka, Ph.D.](/media/tssom-2018/images/headshots/silhouette.gif)
Michael Maceyka, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
![Michael Maceyka, Ph.D.](/media/tssom-2018/images/headshots/silhouette.gif)
Michael Maceyka, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Can Senkal, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/Senkal.png)
Can Senkal, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
![Can Senkal, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/Senkal.png)
Can Senkal, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/070619_008_jw_arW.jpg)
Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D.
Chair, Professor
![Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D.](/media/biochemistry-dev/content-assets/headshots/070619_008_jw_arW.jpg)
Sarah Spiegel, Ph.D.
Chair, Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
![Brian Wattenberg, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/binks-wattenberg/wattenberg_home.png)
Brian Wattenberg, Ph.D.
Professor
![Brian Wattenberg, Ph.D.](/media/vcusom-t4-migration/biochemistry/faculty/binks-wattenberg/wattenberg_home.png)
Brian Wattenberg, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology