Research

The Department of Radiation Oncology is dedicated to the development of new and better treatments for cancer. The paradigm for cancer treatment is undergoing a tremendous shift from the disease to the individual. Today, collaboration across campuses, among clinicians and scientists, and with surgical and medical oncologists is essential to developing and optimizing new radiation therapy approaches where treatment is faster and more precise.Research in medicine has many forms, ranging from research at the cellular level or , to research focused toward the development of better medical instruments. The Department of Radiation Oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College is engaged in a broad spectrum of research.

The department welcomes inquiries by medical professionals, scientists, students, physician-in-training at various levels, and the lay public regarding our research activities. This may be in relation to obtaining scientific information, inquiring about research fellowships or training, or for information regarding research planned for specific disease entities.

Cell Biology Laboratory

The Laboratory of Cancer Biology (ICB) in Radiation Oncology is comprised of a group of vigorous research professionals involved in basic and translational studies on molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis of cancer. Located at the HSS Caspary Research Building 7th Floor, the laboratory currently has two principle investigators, five graduate students and two postdoctoral associates.

Our research group is dedicated to understanding how tumor suppressors maintain genomic stability and our work is focused on two tumor suppressor genes, p53 and PTEN. Our studies employ various knockout or knockin mice to model human cancers. We also use a combination of cell biology, genetics, biochemistry and oncology to identify critical molecules and signaling pathways for anti-cancer therapeutics.

Research in the ICB is mainly sponsored by the NIH research project grants (R01s) and also benefits from generous departmental support. The laboratory offers training and research opportunities not only for graduate students and postdocs, but also for physician scientists and medical residents who are interested in experimental research, he ICB serves as a bridge from benchside to bedside.

Laboratory of Cancer Biology
Department of Radiation Oncology
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Caspary Research Building @ 541 East 71st Street, 7th Floor

Centralized Treatment Planning:

The Centralized Treatment Planning (CTP) in Radiation Oncology consists of the treatment planning group and physics residents group. Located at the first floor of an off-site building on the 74th St., CTP currently has three medical physicists, two medical dosimetrists and three medical physics residents. CTP is responsible for producing treatment plans for all external beam treatments across the campuses of the Radiation Oncology Department. Equipped with state-of-the-art treatment planning systems, all treatment plans produced at CTP are communicated to physician, physicists and therapists electronically.. Research in the CTP is mainly sponsored by the DOD research project grants (R01s) and also benefits from generous departmental support.

CTP also offers treatment planning training to physicists, physics residents, physicians and medical residents. In addition to clinical training, the medical physics residents at CTP engage in cutting-edge research including image-guided radiotherapy, new treatment planning approach, Monte Carlo simulation, radiation oncology outcome analysis, and radiation biology modeling.