Cancer Developmental Therapeutics Research at Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center

The core objective of our Cancer Developmental Therapeutics research at Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center is to explore and develop strategies to overcome therapeutic resistance and enable precision immuno-oncology through integrated translational therapeutics, immune modulation and biomarker-driven clinical trials. These investigations focus on developing and testing novel therapeutic agents, including modalities to improve drug stability and delivery; investigating mechanisms of therapeutic resistance; and conducting novel clinical trials in cancer patients. 

Our Comprehensive Approach to Cancer Research

With a goal of building a comprehensive approach to cancer research across basic, clinical and population-based science, physician-scientists at the Neal Cancer Center have developed three research focus areas led by renowned experts: Cancer Developmental Therapeutics, Cancer Biology and Immunology, and Cancer Prevention and Control. The key objectives of the Cancer Developmental Therapeutics research initiatives are to:

 

• Conduct preclinical studies of novel therapeutics and innovative drug delivery systems to target tumor cells or the tumor microenvironment. Examples include testing of novel antibodies, cell therapies, nanoparticles, gene therapy and small molecules.
• Perform mechanism-based preclinical studies to understand and overcome cancer treatment resistance. 
• Translate center discoveries into biomarker-driven clinical trials and tools, thereby advancing tailored oncology treatments for cancers that disproportionately impact the center’s catchment area.