Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Focus areas

Fergus J. Couch, Ph.D.
Dr. Couch focuses on structure-function studies of BRCA1 and BRCA2 and the role of BRCA2 in cell division in breast cancer development.
Ruth Lupu, Ph.D.
Dr. Lupu studies the metabolic pathways underpinning breast cancer development and response to therapy.
Viji Shridhar, Ph.D.
Dr. Shridhar focuses on understanding alterations in biological pathways and therapeutic vulnerabilities for treatment-refractory cancer. This research program aims to align experimental compounds with optimal tumor selection and drug combinations to advance potential cancer treatments that address corresponding vulnerabilities in vitro and in mouse models at the preclinical level. In particular, Dr. Shridhar is interested in two major biological pathways altered in cancer: growth factor signaling pathways and DNA damage response pathways. Studies focus on testing novel drugs and repurposing drugs alone and in combination with PARP, ATR and Chk1 inhibitors in ovarian, endometrial and breast cancers.

Andrew L. Feldman, M.D.
Dr. Feldman studies the molecular pathogenesis of T-cell lymphomas, a group of malignant tumors of the immune system that are often fatal. The long-term goal of Dr. Feldman's research is to improve the lives of patients with T-cell lymphomas through individualized therapy. He uses next-generation sequencing technologies and innovative bioinformatic approaches to discover key genetic abnormalities in T-cell lymphomas. Lab testing seeks to find new drugs that might specifically target tumors with a given abnormality.

Allan B. Dietz, Ph.D.
Dr. Dietz has established multiple cell therapy platforms. These platforms offer opportunities to treat patients in clinical trials for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, glioblastoma and ovarian cancer using investigational cell therapies such as cancer vaccine platforms. Dr. Dietz also uses stem cell platforms to treat these patients. In addition, Dr. Dietz's research team studies suppressive monocytes and comprehensive immune phenotyping to better characterize immunity and disease.
Nagarajan Kannan, Ph.D., M.S.
Dr. Kannan is interested in understanding and harnessing the regenerative potential of tissue-resident stem cells to address two clinical concerns: breast cancer in patients who are considered high risk and hyposalivation (xerostomia) in people who have survived head or neck cancer.

Mine Cicek, Ph.D.
Dr. Cicek directs the Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing Core within Mayo Clinic's Biorepositories Program. The core provides investigators with preanalytic processing and storage for a variety of biospecimen types to support the translation of scientific discoveries into clinical practice.
Alexandre G. Maia, Ph.D.
Dr. Maia directs the Epigenomics Development Lab and Recharge Center. This lab and recharge center provides collaborative and end-to-end epigenomic services to Mayo Clinic researchers and external investigators. Dr. Maia also directs the Functional Epigenomics Lab, which focuses on various aspects of transcription and enhancer regulation with implications for cellular heterogeneity and drug resistance in cancer and cellular reprogramming. The Functional Epigenomics Lab uses epigenomic profiling to better understand cancer programs associated with malignancy, metastasis and drug sensitivity and define transcriptional dependencies.

These cores are infrastructure programs within the Center for Individualized Medicine.

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