Damon Runyon Researchers

Analysis of tumor DNA has transformed cancer care, allowing researchers to identify unique vulnerabilities within some cancers and treat them with highly effective, yet tolerable, targeted therapies. Moreover, emerging technologies now allow detection and analysis of tumor DNA which is circulating freely within the blood of cancer patients. Such “liquid biopsies” hold promise in their ability to accelerate the delivery of targeted therapies to appropriate cancer patients, while also allowing noninvasive monitoring of treatment outcome. Dr. Oxnard [Gordon Family Clinical Investigator] has recently developed a rapid noninvasive test for detection of tumor-derived DNA mutations in the blood of lung cancer patients, and has now launched this for clinical use at his institution. His research aims to validate that such liquid biopsies are ready for widespread adoption in guiding the care of lung cancer patients, while working to develop next generation assays that can comprehensively characterize cancer biology and identify the emergence of treatment resistance.