Cell Biology, Immunology & Cancer Biology

CBICB

Welcome to the Concentration in Cell Biology, Immunology & Cancer Biology at SIU School of  Medicine. Our faculty, graduate students and medical students conduct innovative research in the areas of cancer biology; therapeutic targeting; tumor immunology; stem cell biology and lineage differentiation; as well as tumor vascular and lymphatic  biology. The Simmons Cancer Institute is a focal point for scientists in this concentration, fostering translation of research discoveries from the laboratory to clinic. Students in this concentration will be involved in discovery-based, forward-thinking medical research on the Springfield campus that provides a foundation in the molecular and cellular underpinnings of health and disease. 

Contact:
Andrew Wilber, PhD
Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Cancer Biology
Springfield, IL

Research mentorsResearch area
Aida Adlimoghaddam, PhDMitochondrial function, brain metabolic activity, inflammation, and cognitive changes in normal aging, Alzheimer's disease, and related diseases; pharmaceutical and dietary interventions, repurposing of FDA-approved drugs; early diagnosis and treatment in Alzheimer's disease.
Andrzej Bartke, PhDGenetic and hormonal control of aging in mammals.
Andrea Braundmeier-Fleming, PhDImmune cell function and influence of the microbiome on the pathophysiology of reproductive disorders.
Weijia Cai, PhDExplore the mechanisms that tumor cells suppress or avert immunogenic cell death (ICD) and discover novel targets to enhance the efficacy of current cancer therapies.
Kevin Hascup, PhDMetabolic and glutamatergic dysregulation during Alzheimer's disease progression and successful aging; identification of disease-modifying life-style factors and biomarker-targeted therapeutics.
Daotai Nie, PhDMolecular and cellular biology of cancer, tumor metastasis, development of tumor therapeutics.
Sophia Ran, PhDTumor physiology, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, breast cancer metastasis.
Krishna Rao, PhDRole of Rab25 as a tumor suppressor, treatment of head and neck cancer.
Shelly A Tischkau, PhDNeuroendocrinology, environmental toxicology, regulation of molecular circadian rhythms in health and disease states, including cancer and diabetes.
Gabriel J. Tobón, PhD  Study of B lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of Autoimmune Diseases (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Sjogren’s syndrome).
Donald S. Torry, PhDHuman reproductive biology, cellular biology of angiogenic growth factors and immune cytokines during pregnancy, molecular biology of placental gene expression.
Andrew Wilber, PhDGene therapy for hemoglobin disorders beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, gene expression regulation, stable gene delivery using non-viral and viral integrating vector systems and cancer immunotherapy.
Rong Yuan, PhDMolecular Biology of aging and longevity.