Molecular Oncology | Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Molecular Oncology (MO) Program is an integrated basic science program composed of a diverse group of investigators with strengths in cancer stem cells, DNA damage repair and genomic instability, tumor-host interactions, and other fundamental areas of cancer biology.

Program Aims

Identify cancer stem cell (CSC)-driven mechanisms of tumor initiation, growth, and progression.
Reveal tumor microenvironment interactions that promote tumor initiation, growth, and progression.
Discover novel molecular vulnerabilities intrinsic to tumor cells.

Program Members

Suneel S. Apte

Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: aptes@ccf.org

Phone: 216.445.3278
Shideng Bao, PhD

Staff, Department of Cancer Biology, School of Medicine

Director, Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: baos@ccf.org

Phone: 216.636.1009
Pedro Barata, MD, MSc

Oncologist, Urology, UH Seidman Cancer Center

Associate Professor, Medicine, Case Western Reserve University

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: pedro.barata@UHhospitals.org
Jonathan Mark Brown, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: brownm5@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.8340
Matthias Buck, PhD

Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine

Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: mxb150@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.8651
Scott Cameron, MD, PhD, MS

Assistant Professor, Molecular Oncology Program, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cathleen R. Carlin, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: cxc39@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.8939
Shuyang Chen, PhD

Assistant Staff, Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: chens8@ccf.org
Peiwen Chen, PhD

Associate Staff, Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: chenp6@ccf.org
Olga Cherepanova, PhD

Assistant Professor, Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Jan Claesen, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: claesej@ccf.org
Fabio Cominelli, MD, PhD

Distinguished University Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: Fabio.Cominelli@uhhospitals.org

Phone: 216.844.7344
Carlos Crespo, PhD

Professor, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Associate Dean for Research, College of Arts and Sciences

Email: cxc302@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1911
Hod Dana, PhD

Assistant Professor, Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: danah@ccf.org
Fabin Dang, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine

Email: fabin.dang@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.6848
David Schwartz Photography

David Danielpour, PhD

Professor, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Associate Professor, Department of Urology, School of Medicine

Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: dxd49@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.5670
Srinivasan Dasarathy, MD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: dasaras@ccf.org
Joseph A. DiDonato, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: didonaj@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.8178
J. Alan Diehl, PhD

Chair, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Deputy Director for Case Western Reserve University, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Phone: 216.368.0268
Mohammed Dwidar, PhD, MSc

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: dwidarm@ccf.org
James H. Finke, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: finkej@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.5186
Paul L. Fox, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: foxp@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.8053
Mahmoud Ghannoum, PhD

Professor, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: mahmoud.ghannoum@case.edu

Phone: 216.844.8580
Hannah L. Gilmore , MD

Professor, Department of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: hannah.gilmore@UHhospitals.org

Phone: 216.286.6587
Candece L. Gladson, MD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: gladsoc@ccf.org

Phone: 216.636.9493
Zihua Gong, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: gongz@ccf.org
Kailash Gulshan, PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: gulshak@ccf.org

Phone: 216.445.3699
Thomas A. Hamilton, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: hamiltt@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.6246
Maria Hatzoglou, PhD

Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: maria.hatzoglou@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.3012
Stanley L. Hazen, MD, PhD

Chairman, Lerner Research Institute

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Warren D.W. Heston, PhD

Adjunct Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: hestonw@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.8181
Christopher Hine, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: hinec@ccf.org
Christopher Hubert, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: cxh652@case.edu

Phone: 216.445.6471
Mark Jackson, PhD

Vice Dean, Graduate Education, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Director, Cancer Biology Training Program

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: mark.w.jackson@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1276
Hung-Ying Kao, PhD

Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Director of Graduate Programs, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: hung.kao@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1150
Mihriban Karaayvaz, PhD

Assistant Professor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: karaaym@ccf.org
Ruth Keri, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Associate Director for Basic Research, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine

Email: kerir@ccf.org

Phone: 216.445.1323
Hyun Jung Kim, PhD

Assistant Staff, Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: KIMH19@ccf.org
Justin D. Lathia, PhD

Scientific Director, Rose Ella Burkhardt Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University

Co-Leader, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Director of Faculty Development, Cleveland Clinic Research

Professor, Department of Cancer Sciences, Cleveland Clinic Research

Email: lathiaj@ccf.org

Phone: 216.445.7475
Jeongwu Lee, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: leej7@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.9834
Bibo Li , PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: b.li37@csuohio.edu

Phone: 216.687.2444
Feng Lin, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: linf2@ccf.org
Shujun Liu, PhD

Professor, MetroHealth Medical Center

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: shujun.liu2@case.edu
Michelle S. Longworth, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Associate Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine

Associate Professor, Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: longwom@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.8082
Peder Lund, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Email: peder.lund@case.edu
Danny Manor, PhD

Professor, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine

Vice Chair, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: dxm178@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.6230
Shigemi Matsuyama, DVM, PhD

Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Professor, Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine

Professor, Division of General Medical Sciences

Professor, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: sxm193@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.5832
Christine L. McDonald, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: mcdonac2@ccf.org

Phone: 216.445.7058
Thomas M. McIntyre, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: mcintyt@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.1048
Jason A. Mears, PhD

Graduate Program Director, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Associate Director, Training and Education, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: jam348@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.3348
Masaru Miyagi, PhD

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Director, Cancer Metabolism Shared Resource, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics, School of Medicine

Member, Cleveland Center for Membrane & Structural Biology

Email: mxm356@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.2641
Erin Mulkearns-Hubert, PhD

Instructor, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Herbert Newton, MD

Medical Director, Brain Tumor Center, UH Seidman Cancer Center

Director, Neuro-Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: Herbert.Newton@UHhospitals.org
Carvell T. Nguyen, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: cnguyen4@metrohealth.org

Phone: 216.778.7968
Marvin T. Nieman, PhD, FAHA

Vice Provost and Dean for Graduate Studies

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: nieman@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.0250
Liqun Ning, PhD

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Cleveland State University

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: l.ning@csuohio.edu
Christine M. O'Connor, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: oconnoc6@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.0676
Nancy Oleinick, PhD

Professor Emerita, Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: nlo@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1117
Quintin Pan, PhD

Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine

Special Advisor to the Director, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Director, Pilot Funding and Scientific Investments, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: quintin.pan@UHhospitals.org
Monaliben Patel, MD

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: Monaliben.patel@uhhospitals.org
Edward F. Plow, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: plowe@ccf.org

Phone: 216.445.8200
Gunnar Poplawski

Assistant Professor, Center for Immunotherapy and ImmunoOncology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: poplawg@ccf.org
Shuo Qie, MD, PhD

Instructor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: sxq96@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1639
Jun Qin, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: qinj@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.5392
Diana Ramirez-Bergeron, PhD, MS

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine

Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine

Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine

Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Co-Director, Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program, Graduate Education Office, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: Diana.Ramirez@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.2036
Ofer Reizes, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: reizeso@ccf.org

Phone: 216.445.0880
William P. Schiemann, PhD

Vice Dean for Research and Innovation, School of Medicine

Goodman-Blum Professor in Cancer Research, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Biochemistry

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: William.Schiemann@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.5763
Alvin H. Schmaier, MD

Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: schmaier@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1172
Xiaojun Shi, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Jonathan D. Smith, PhD

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: smithj4@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.2248
Khalid Sossey-Alaoui, PhD

Faculty Research Staff, MetroHealth Medical Center

Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: kxs586@case.edu

Phone: 216.778.5275
Apollo Stacy, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Center for Microbiome and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute

Email: stacya2@ccf.org
George R. Stark , PhD

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: starkg@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.6062
Evi X. Stavrou, MD

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: exs300@case.edu
Olga Stenina-Adognravi, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: stenino@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.9057
Bin Su, PhD

Adjunct Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: b.su@csuohio.edu

Phone: 216.687.9219
Hoonkyo Suh, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: suhh2@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.5895
Alan Tartakoff, PhD

Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology

Professor, Department of Biochemistry

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: alan.tartakoff@case.edu
Saba Valadkhan, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: saba.valadkhan@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1068
Rui Wang, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: Rui.Wang17@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.5667
Bingcheng Wang, PhD

John A. and Josephine B. Wootton Endowed Chair of Research and Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine

Member, Cleveland Center for Membrane & Structural Biology, School of Medicine

Email: bingcheng.wang@case.edu

Phone: 216.778.4256
Oliver Wessely, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: wesselo@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.3050
Sichun Yang, PhD

Professor, Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine

Professor, Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: sichun.yang@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.5793
Vivien C. Yee, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Director of Undergraduate Programs and Vice Chair for Education, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: vivien.yee@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.1184
Akihiro Yoshida, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: axy234@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.3392
Yi Zhang, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine

Member, Cleveland Center for Membrane & Structural Biology

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: yi.zhang26@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.0424
You-Wei Zhang, PhD

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

Chair, Department of Pharmacology, Graduate Qualification Committee

Vice Chairman, Committee for Biomedical Research, School of Medicine

Director, SOM Graduate Program C3MB Cell Biology Course, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine

Email: yxz169@case.edu

Phone: 216.368.7588
Jianjun Zhao, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: zhaoj4@ccf.org

Phone: 216.444.7511
Bowen Zhou, MD, PhD

Clinical Instructor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine

Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Email: bxz164@case.edu