It all begins with an idea. Here at UH Seidman Cancer Center/CWRU Department of Radiation Oncology we don’t simply want to read the guidelines…we want to create the content that helps the lives of cancer patients that changes the guidelines. From bench to bedside to community outreach, we believe good is never good enough and cancer will rest for no one and neither will we. Explore our many innovative research programs by using the scroll buttons.

The fundamental basis of cancer is genetic in origin. Key discoveries must come through basic science research in novel tumor and animal models to understand mechanisms of cancer therapy resistance and identification of novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.

Discoveries in the lab are not enough. They must be translated into clinical care, and this critical jump is one of the most challenging given the many differences in pre-clinical model systems and patients. Our translational oncology research teams have successfully developed a multitude of novel genomic biomarkers to personalize therapy.

To prove a new treatment or biomarker is safe, effective, and adds value to patient lives, they must undergo clinical trial testing. We are consistently among the top clinical trial accruers to national cooperative group trials, and have a nationally renowned phase I program at UH Seidman Cancer Center. Furthermore, to better understand which patients benefit from specific treatment approaches we have led many landmark meta-analyses of randomized trials.

We are in unprecedented times where mass quantities of terabytes and petabytes of data can be collected to better understand unrecognized associations that can impact cancer incidence and outcomes. This requires substantial processing and computation resources, as well as a skilled team that we have here to dive deep into the world of big data.

Everyone by now has heard at least one of these buzzwords…AI, deep learning, machine learning, neural networks. However, few centers have truly leveraged the power of non-human interpretable features to clinically harness the strength of AI. We have helped lead the development of the 1st ever validated prognostic and predictive biomarkers to personalize prostate cancer treatment. Furthermore, we are using this technology to disrupt the very core in which we work, from clinical workflows, simulations, segmentation, planning, quality control, remote monitoring, and survivorship care.

DEI relates to more than just the healthcare workforce. Disparities directly and indirectly impact health outcomes of cancer patients. Our team has led many of the seminal work unmasking the interplay of structural racism, social determinants of health, race, and cancer outcomes. This work spans translational genomic research, clinical trials, and community outreach. We not only are one of the most diverse radiation oncology departments by race and gender in the nation, we have a commitment to our community to overcome barriers to persistent inequities in care.