Overview
Meet the team of nationally renowned scientists and researchers at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center.
Brendan D. Curti, M.D., serves as Medical Director of the Genitourinary Malignancy Program at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. His clinical research focuses on the use of cell- and cytokine-based immunotherapy to treat prostate carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, and melanoma. Dr. Curti earned his medical degree from Georgetown University, where he also completed a Fellowship in Medical Oncology. Dr. Curti served as a Senior Investigator of the Clinical Research Branch of the Biological Response Modifiers Program at the National Cancer Institute. He was also an Associate Professor at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. In addition to his work at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center, Dr. Curti operates a private medical oncology practice at The Oregon Clinic. Publications>> Bernard A. Fox, Ph.D., is Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular and Tumor Immunology at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. The Laboratory's focus centers on identifying and characterizing the T cells that bring about antitumor activity and develop methods to induce these cells to grow inside a living organism. Dr. Fox earned his Ph.D. in Cellular Biology/Biophysics at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. He also served a postdoctural Fellowship in the Surgery Branch at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Fox taught at Oregon Health and Science University and at the Oregon Graduate Institute. He is a member of the Oregon Cancer Center. Publications>> Hong-Ming Hu, Ph.D., is Chief of the Laboratory of Cancer Immunobiology at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. His Laboratory's focus centers on developing effective vaccination strategies that induce protective antitumor immunity in cancer patients through enhancement of immune responses during both the induction and effector phases. Dr. Hu earned his Ph.D. in Tumor Immunology from the Oregon Graduate Institute. He served as a Scientist and Senior Research Associate at Portland's Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, and as a Research Associate at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Publications>> Laurie A. Skokan, Ph.D., serves as the Health Behavior Psychologist at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. Her areas of expertise include research methodology, health psychology, outcomes measurement, and statistical analysis. Dr. Skokan earned her Ph.D. in Social Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to her work at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center, Dr. Skokan manages the Providence Health & Services regional cancer registry. Walter J. Urba, M.D., Ph.D., serves as Director of Cancer Research at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. Under Dr. Urba's leadership, the Center has focused on translating basic laboratory observations into novel clinical trials using immunotherapy to treat cancer patients. Dr. Urba earned his Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his medical degree from the University of Miami (Florida). He served a Fellowship in Medical Oncology, Medicine Branch, at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Urba served on the faculty of Oregon Health and Science University. He is also a member of the Oregon Cancer Center. Publications>> Edwin B. Walker, Ph.D., is Chief of the Laboratory of Immunological Monitoring at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. His research centers on dendritic cell immunotherapy as well as developing, validating and using new, powerful, highly quantitative immunological assays to monitor immune response in cancer patients receiving different types of immunotherapy such as vaccines or cytokine therapy. Dr. Walker earned his Ph.D. in Cellular Immunology from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He also served a postdoctural Fellowship in the Experimental Pathology Division at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Dr. Walker's previous academic appointments include positions in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Indiana University School of Medicine as well as in the Department of Pathobiology at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. Publications>> Andrew D. Weinberg Ph.D., is Chief of the Laboratory of Basic Immunology at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. His Laboratory's focus centers on investigating the mechanism of immune destruction of normal tissue in autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Weinberg earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Washington State University. He served a postdoctural Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego. He served on the faculty of the Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology at Oregon Health and Science University, and is a member of the Oregon Cancer Center. Publications>> |
