Contact the Division of Cancer Biology
Division of Cancer Biology
9609 Medical Center Drive MSC 9747/9748
Bethesda, MD 20892
Office of the Director
The Director’s Office oversees the activities of the branches as well as special initiatives and Programs funded by the Division. The Office also fosters emerging topics in basic cancer biology, such as cancer systems biology, physical sciences in oncology, and the tumor microenvironment, in order to facilitate the development of the field.
More information on research supported by the Office of the Director is available in the Research section.
Phone: (240) 276-6180
Fax: (240) 276-7861
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Daniel Gallahan, Ph.D. Director |
gallahad@mail.nih.gov | Cancer biology |
|
Shannon Hughes, Ph.D. Deputy Director |
shannon.hughes@nih.gov | Cancer metastasis and systems biology |
|
Lisa Witzler, Ph.D. Chief of Staff |
lisa.witzler@nih.gov | DCB processes and policies |
|
Jason Bunting Information Technology (IT) Specialist |
buntingj@mail.nih.gov | IT and technology platforms |
|
Yvette Butler Staff Assistant |
butlery@mail.nih.gov | DCB travel processes and policies |
|
Hannah Dueck, Ph.D. Program Director |
hannah.dueck@nih.gov | Cancer systems biology, tumor heterogeneity, and single-cell biology |
|
Janice Embry Program Analyst |
embryj@mail.nih.gov | DCB administrative processes and policies |
|
Tiffany Ferguson Staff Assistant |
tiffany.ferguson@nih.gov | Point of contact for the Deputy Director of DCB |
|
Riante Jones Communications Specialist |
riante.jones@nih.gov | Health communication |
|
Rebekah Mikeasky NCI Communications Fellow |
rebekah.mikeasky@nih.gov | Science communication |
|
Claire McCarthy, Ph.D. Communications Manager |
claire.mccarthy@nih.gov | DCB communications |
|
Michelle Turner Program Analyst |
turnermca@mail.nih.gov | DCB portfolio and data analysis |
|
Matthew Whitehead Office Automation Technician |
whitehem@mail.nih.gov | Automation systems |
Cancer Cell Biology Branch
CCBB supports and directs research that defines the biological basis for the differences between normal cells and cancer cells, with a major emphasis on studies that reveal processes and molecular targets where there is potential for therapeutic or preventive intervention.
More information on research supported by this branch is available in the Research section.
Phone: (240) 276-6230
Fax: (240) 276-7865
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rihab Yassin, Ph.D. Chief |
yassinr@mail.nih.gov | Gastroesophageal cancer biology, tumor-initiating cells/stem cells, early lesion biology, and thyroid cancer |
|
Sharmistha Ghosh-Janjigian, Ph.D. Program Director |
sharmistha.ghosh-janjigian@nih.gov | Tumor atlases, tumor promotion, early lesion biology, and oncogenesis |
|
Ruibai Luo, Ph.D. Program Director |
luoru@mail.nih.gov | Post-translational modifications and R03, R15, and R50 grants in cancer cell biology |
|
Stefan Maas, Ph.D. Program Director |
stefan.maas@nih.gov | RNA biology, RNA regulation of cancer processes, tumor suppressors, and the regulation of translation |
|
Konstantin Salnikow, Ph.D Program Director |
salnikok@mail.nih.gov | Cell death and survival pathways, cell stress in cancer, aging and cancer biology, and cancer cachexia initiators/mediators |
|
Kristine Willis, Ph.D. Program Director |
kristine.willis@nih.gov | Cancer metabolism, mitochondria and organelle biology, cell cycle, and experimental models |
|
Wanping Xu, Ph.D. Program Director |
xuw@mail.nih.gov | Cancer signaling pathways, cellular chaperones, oncogenes, and cancer cachexia pathways |
Cancer Immunology, Hematology, and Etiology Branch
CIHEB includes the Immunology and Hematology Section and the Cancer Etiology Section.
The Immunology and Hematology Section supports studies on the basic mechanisms of anti-tumor immune responses and hematologic malignancies.
The Cancer Etiology Section supports two broad categories of studies on possible etiological factors or co-factors in cancer: biological agents (primarily viruses and bacteria) and host predisposing states including obesity, diet, and aging.
More information on research supported by this branch is available in the Research section.
Phone: (240) 276-6200
Fax: (240) 276-7867
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Kevin Howcroft, Ph.D. Chief |
howcrofk@mail.nih.gov | Cancer immunology, multiple myeloma, extracellular vesicles, and retrotransposons |
|
Phil Daschner Program Director |
daschnep@mail.nih.gov | Cancer etiology, biological carcinogenesis, microbiome, and the role of diet/nutrition/obesity in cancer |
|
Yvonne Duglas-Tabor Program Associate Director |
duglasy@mail.nih.gov | R13 and R50 grants related to cancer immunology and cancer health disparities |
|
Chamelli Jhappan, Ph.D Program Director |
jhappanc@mail.nih.gov | Oncogenic RNA viruses, hematopoietic malignancies, multidrug resistance in cancer, and the nervous system regulation of cancer |
|
Margaret Klauzinska, Ph.D. Program Director |
klauzing@mail.nih.gov | Hematopoiesis, myeloid malignancies, bone marrow niche, and epitranscriptomics |
|
Lillian Kuo, Ph.D. Program Director |
kuols@nih.gov | Immunology and virology, microscopy for cancer, vesicle biology, and molecular biology related to antitumor immunity |
|
Yin Liu, Ph.D. Program Director |
liuy@exchange.nih.gov | Immunity/autoimmunity, inflammation, lymphocyte migration, and T cell receptor signaling |
|
Susan McCarthy, Ph.D. Volunteer |
mccarths@mail.nih.gov | T cells, immunosuppression, immunotherapy, and immunotherapy-related adverse events |
|
Elizabeth Read-Connole, Ph.D. Head - Cancer Etiology Section |
bconnole@mail.nih.gov | Cancer etiology, oncogenic viruses, and biology related to HIV/AIDS and cancer |
|
Monica Zamisch, Ph.D. Program Director |
monica.zamisch@nih.gov | Cancer immunology, molecular biology, vaccine development, and systems biology |
DNA and Chromosome Aberrations Branch
DCAB supports basic cancer research focused on making clear the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of tumorigenesis and mechanisms of chemical and physical carcinogenesis.
More information on research supported by this branch is available in the Research section.
Phone: (240) 276-6250
Fax: (240) 276-7865
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Ian Fingerman, Ph.D. Chief |
fingerma@mail.nih.gov | Cancer genomics, mechanisms of cancer susceptibility, genetic heterogeneity, and non-coding RNAs |
|
Ron Johnson, Ph.D. Program Director |
rjohnso2@mail.nih.gov | Chemical and tobacco carcinogenesis, replication stress, DNA damage signaling, and transcriptional regulation by ER and p53 |
|
Paul Okano, Ph.D Program Director |
okanop@mail.nih.gov | Epigenetic modifications, chemical and UV mutagenesis, DNA repair, and DNA polymerases |
|
Anu Sharman, Ph.D. Program Director |
sharmananu@nih.gov | Genomic/epigenomic alterations related to cancer health disparities, genetic models for cancer disparities, and R03, R15, and R50 grants related to DNA and chromosome aberrations |
|
Michael Weinreich, Ph.D. Program Director |
michael.weinreich2.nih.gov | DNA replication, replication stress, cell cycle, and DNA damage checkpoints |
|
Keren Witkin, Ph.D. Program Director |
witkinkeren@mail.nih.gov | Genome instability and chromosomal rearrangements, double strand break repair pathways, telomere maintenance, and fusion oncoproteins |
|
Linda Zane, Ph.D. Program Director |
linda.zane@nih.gov | Cancer genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and nuclear architecture |
Structural Biology and Molecular Applications Branch
SBMAB supports studies in three areas: technology development and molecular applications; biophysical biology; and computational/mathematical methods and bioinformatics development. The branch also supports integrated and systems biology approaches to cancer biology.
More information on research supported by this branch is available in the Research section.
Phone: (240) 276-6210
Fax: (240) 276-7863
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Jennifer Couch, Ph.D. Chief |
couchj@mail.nih.gov | Artificial intelligence, technology development, citizen science, and structural biology |
|
Anowarul Amin, Ph.D. Program Director (Contractor) |
anowarul.amin@nih.gov | Biophysics, structure-function mechanisms, proteomics, and cellular imaging |
|
Steven Becker, Ph.D. Program Director |
steven.becker@nih.gov | Tissue engineering and 3D culture, regenerative medicine, cell characterization, and imaging technologies |
|
Robin Brown Program Associate Director |
brownrob@mail.nih.gov | SBMAB grant portfolio analysis and policies |
|
Eric Johnson Chavarria, Ph.D. Program Director |
eric.johnsonchavarria@nih.gov | Cytoskeleton, protein structure, microfluidics and microfabrication, and single molecule techniques |
|
Jerry Li, M.D., Ph.D. Program Director |
jiayinli@mail.nih.gov | Informatics, deep learning, protein structure modeling, and synthetic biology |
|
David Miller, Ph.D. Program Director |
david.miller3@nih.gov | Mathematical methods and analysis, computational modeling, software development, and data science |
Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Branch
The Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Branch supports basic tumor/early lesion-microenvironment research across the different stages of tumorigenesis. The focus is on the mechanistic underpinnings of bidirectional tumor and/or early lesion interactions with its microenvironment as co-organizers dictating tumor initiation and/or indolence, progression and response to therapy.
More information on research supported by this branch is available in the Research section.
Phone: (240) 276-6220
Fax: (240) 276-7866
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Jeffrey Hildesheim, Ph.D. Chief |
hildesheimj@mail.nih.gov | Tumor-stroma co-organizer biology, mechanisms of therapy resistance, senescense, and stress signaling in tumors |
|
Tapan Bera, Ph.D. Program Director |
berat@mail.nih.gov | Treatment resistance, tumor cell plasticity and polarity, and molecular signaling in the tumor microenvironment |
|
Christina George Scientific Program Specialist |
christina.george@nih.gov | R03, R13, and R50 grants related to the tumor microenvironment |
|
Mihoko Kai, Ph.D. Program Director |
mihoko.kai@nih.gov | Tumor heterogeneity, stem cell biology, non-coding RNAs in the microenvironment, and hormone signaling |
|
Natalia Mercer, Ph.D. Program Director |
natalia.mercer@nih.gov | Tumor stroma, tumor and microenvironment metabolism, protein modifications, and glycobiology |
|
Elizabeth Woodhouse, Ph.D. Program Director |
woodhousee@mail.nih.gov | Extracellular vesicles, extracellular matrix and cell adhesion, angiogenesis, and cancer cell migration |
Tumor Metastasis Branch
The Tumor Metastasis Branch plans, develops and directs the Division’s research program in tumor metastasis, focusing on mechanisms of metastasis and metastatic niches, circulating tumor cells, dormancy, and angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.
More information on research supported by this branch is available in the Research section.
Phone: (240) 276-6220
Fax: (240) 276-7866
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Joanna Watson, Ph.D. Chief |
watsonjo@mail.nih.gov | Circadian rhythms, cancer cachexia, circulating tumor cell biology, and mechanisms of metastasis |
|
Grace Ault, Ph.D. Program Director |
aultg@mail.nih.gov | Cell invasion and migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metabolic adaptation to the microenvironment, and growth factor signaling |
|
Justin Benavidez, Ph.D. Presidential Management Fellow |
justin.benavidez@nih.gov | Biological sciences, developmental biology, and cancer metastasis |
|
Brunilde Gril, Ph.D. Program Director |
grilbrun@mail.nih.gov | Brain metastases, blood-brain/tumor barrier, experimental therapies for metastasis, and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling |
|
Christine Nadeau, Ph.D. Program Director |
christine.nadeau@nih.gov | Mammalian models of cancer, Notch signaling, breast cancer, and systemic immunity |
|
Elizabeth Snyderwine, Ph.D. Program Director |
snyderwe@mail.nih.gov | Xenobiotic and cellular metabolism, metastasis, aging biology, and the bone microenvironment |
|
Fanta Whiting Program Associate Director |
fanta.whiting@nih.gov | R03, R15, and R50 grants related to cancer metastasis |
Administrative Resource Center
The Administrative Resource Center (ARC) of DCB and the NCI Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) is responsible for facilitating administrative processes involved in conducting the research activities and functions of DCB research areas.
| Name & Position | Areas of Expertise | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bridgette Tobiasson Division ARC Manager |
bt8n@nih.gov | NCI administrative and management policies and processes |
|
Eric Graves Division ARC Deputy Director |
gravese@mail.nih.gov | DCB and DEA administrative and management policies and processes |
|
Kelly Dyott Administrative Officer |
dyottk@mail.nih.gov | NCI travel policies and procurement processes |
|
Kevin Greene Administrative Officer |
greenek@mail.nih.gov | NCI financial policies/grants and DCB budget processes |
|
Linda Stephens Administrative Officer |
stephensli@mail.nih.gov | NCI Human Resources policies and processes |
|
Paige Walker Administrative Technician |
paige.walker@nih.gov | DCB administrative and travel policies |
Additional DCB/DEA ARC staff include the following DEA Administrative Officers: Rhudel Stevens (Lead Administrative Officer), Jamie Brewer, Katelyn Beahm, and Paul Fatula.