Research: Division of Hematology and Oncology

The Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers

The Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers will re-focus national efforts on curing this deadly set of diseases. Combining expertise in molecular medicine, translational research, and a patient-centered philosophy, the Ruesch Center will realize the dream of individualized curative therapies through research, care, and advocacy.

Drug Discovery and Developmental Therapeutic Program

The Drug Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics (3DT) Program is focused on the identification and development of novel cancer treatments. This well-established clinical program comprises basic scientists and clinicians who collaborate to provide both the program members and Lombardi at large with a conduit for rapid, scientifically driven cancer drug development.

Breast Cancer Program

The Breast Cancer Program is a clinical translational program composed of an interdisciplinary group of basic scientists, translational scientists, and clinicians involved in studies ranging from preclinical models to breast cancer treatment and outcomes. This program is focused on identifying new mechanisms in the initiation and progression of breast cancer, integrating molecular and cellular analyses of preclinical models and humans, and investigating the effects of environmental and genetic risk factors for breast cancer. In addition, the program focuses on all aspects of the disease ranging from prevention, improved surgical and radiation therapy approaches, and novel therapies to further improve treatment for early stage and metastatic disease.

Hematologic Malignancies Program

The Hematologic Malignancies Program focuses on the study of targeted therapies in lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma. We conduct a number of clinical trials investigating the use of these new non-chemotherapeutic agents both on a local and a national level. The advantages of using targeted therapies is better efficacy in fighting the cancer and less side effects for our patients. A better understanding of the science of these diseases and the drugs puts us one step closer to our goal which is a personalized cure for each patient.

Lung Cancer Program

The Lung Cancer Program focuses the development of new agents and strategies for thoracic malignancies, which include lung cancer, thymic tumors and mesothelioma. This program focuses on novel agents that target specific subgroups of patients based on the molecular characteristics of their tumors. They care for and operate clinical trials for patients of all stages of the disease. In addition, the program has developed a lung cancer screening protocol for patients who have a history of heavy smoking with low dose CT scans.