Prostate Cancer Research

The Division of Experimental Pathology at Mayo Clinic conducts basic and translational research in prostate cancer.

Stephen N. Thibodeau, Ph.D. and Daniel Schaid, Ph.D. (Biostatistics), are investigating the genetic basis of familial prostate cancer; and how genetic variation contributes to cancer risk in both familial and sporadic prostate cancer. Robert B. Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., uses molecular genetic, cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetics to elucidate the genetic events that are precursors to prostate and brain cancer initiation, progression and metastasis.

George G. Klee M.D. Ph.D. and George Vazmastis Ph.D. are involved in prostate cancer biomarker discovery. David I. Smith Ph.D. focuses on genomic instability in cancer, and uses molecular and cytogenetic tolls to analyze genes whose expression is altered in prostate cancer.

Other studies look at the genes involved with DNA damage-signaling pathways in prostate cancer. The goal of these is to better understand the molecular basis of prostate cancer development and progression; and identify targets that might be used for risk assessment, diagnosis, monitoring and development of novel therapeutic therapies.