My research interests are molecular solid tumor pathology and human tumor immunology. In molecular solid tumor pathology, our lab serves as the translational research laboratory for the anatomic pathology division of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Established in 2004, we have been involved in many projects, including mutational analysis of lung cancer and tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, gene expression profiling of renal and thyroid tumors, analysis of prostate cancer for gene translocations etc. As molecular pathology evolves as a field, it promises great opportunities in refining tumor diagnosis and prognostication, as well as promoting our understanding of tumor biology. The goal of our laboratory is to facilitate research activity in our department that would contribute to this progress in cancer science.

On the tumor immunology front, the focus of our laboratory has been in cancer antigen discovery, particularly in identifying tumor antigens that can be used for therapeutic cancer vaccines. In collaboration with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York Branch for over 15 years, this effort has resulted in identification and characterization of tumor antigens in various tumors. In melanoma, we have produced and characterized monoclonal antibodies against melanocyte differentiation antigens tyrosinase (T311) and Melan-A (A103). These antibodies are not only useful in selecting patients for antigen-specific cancer vaccine trials but have also emerged as the most useful antibodies in the diagnosis of metastatic melanomas. In other types of solid tumors, our focus has been on cancer/testis (CT) antigens, a group of antigens that were normally expressed only in germ cells of testis but were found to be aberrantly expressed in human cancers. Our lab has identified NY-ESO-1, SSX, CT7, CT10, and recently CT45, CT46, and CT47, as CT antigens. Multiple cancer vaccine trials using NY-ESO-1 as antigen target are currently ongoing internationally.