RESEARCH INTERESTS

My professional career over the past 30 years has focused on interdisciplinary and multimodality treatment of lung cancer with the goal of translating laboratory observations into practical clinical trials. This includes the development of new agents and strategies for combining chemotherapy with radiation as well as determining potential markers for susceptibility or resistance to new drugs. I have also had a considerable interest in evaluating patient outcomes and the development of studies that extend the benefits of current approaches to underserved or compromised patient populations with thoracic malignancies. On a national level, I am the co-chair for the Lung Committee of the NRG, a cadre member of the Alliance Respiratory Committee.     Over the course of my career I have been the national PI for five NCI supported national trials in three different cooperative groups and co-chaired several others. I am currently co-chair of SWOG 1900 (Lung Master Protocol in Squamous Cell Carcinoma).   The five studies that I have chaired were initially developed by me and piloted at my primary academic institution.  I am a member of the Thoracic Malignancies Steering Committees for the NCI.  I have evaluated a number of novel biomarkers to evaluate disease burden, response to therapy and patient selection including CYFRA, VEGF, gp88, EGFR, beta tubulin III, etc. I have investigated novel approaches to modulating the tumor microenvironment as a strategy for improving immunotherapy, including inhibition of myeloid derived tumor cells and the COX-2 pathway.  In addition, I have also been involved in prevention efforts as a member of the Endpoint Verification Committee for the National Lung Screening Trial.  In addition, I have collaborated with health care economists, clinical psychologists and social scientists to evaluate clinical outcomes and address health care disparities, clinical trial participation and follow-up strategies.

CLINICAL INTERESTS

I am a thoracic medical oncologist. In my clinic I see patients with lung cancer (small cell and non-small cell), mesothelioma, thymic malignancies (thymoma, thymic carcinoma) and pulmonary carcinoid. I am an active researcher in novel therapeutics and strategies for the treatment of these diseases.

TEACHING AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS

As Department Chair, I supervise our overall educational programs in oncology, with a particular focus on our fellowship program as well as development of new faculty.