The basic science labs at the West Virginia University Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center focus their studies on the molecular basis of cancer.  There are 41 basic research scientists who work in departments and schools across the university, including the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Arts & Sciences, Engineering and Agriculture.  Basic research is focused upon three areas – Signaling Networks, Tumor Microenvironment and Molecular Therapeutics.

The Signaling Networks program is led by Dr. Steve Frisch and is dedicated to understanding how cellular signals regulate cell growth, cell death, cellular migration and invasive capability and how these signals go awry in cancer.  Researchers study signals activated by receptor tyrosine kinases, nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, ser/thr kinases, adaptor proteins and proteins that regulate cell survival. 

The Tumor Microenvironment is led by Dr. Laura Gibson and is dedicated to understanding how cells within a tumor signal to each other.  Only one-half of the cells in a tumor are tumor cells, the rest are supporting stroma cells, blood vessels as well as cells associated with immunity and inflammation.  These cells will signal to the tumor and in turn, the tumor will signal back to these cells in an effort to promote tumor growth, survival and invasive potential.  Researchers in this program focus on the molecular basis of chemotherapy resistance, angiogenesis and inflammation.

The Molecular Therapeutics program is led by Dr. William Petros and is dedicated to understanding how signaling proteins can be targeted in cancer cells, how tumors react to chemotherapeutic agents and the role of biomarkers in predicting disease prognosis, diagnosis and outcomes.  Researchers focus on cytochrome P450’s, molecular modeling, novel chemotherapeutic drug activity, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics.