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Department of Oncology Science

The Department of Oncology Science seeks to provide a research home to trainees, young investigators, and national/international leaders working in the areas of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. We intend to achieve this through programs of excellence in research, education, outreach, and cost-effective patient care. The Department of Oncology Science is committed to facilitating interdisciplinary, collaborative, and innovative team-science to make OU Health Sciences Center a world-leader in translational cancer research.

Research Themes

The department is focused on several key areas of cancer research.

  • Signaling basis of cancer cell growth, cell death, and senescence
  • Mechanisms of chemo- and radiotherapy resistance
  • Metabolic alterations in cancer cells supporting survival under various abiotic stresses, including hypoxia, low pH, and nutrient deprivation
  • Metabolic vulnerabilities of various cancer types
  • Cancer-induced systemic organ failure, including cachexia
  • Tumor immunology, immunotherapies, and immunometabolism
  • Epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations and intratumoral heterogeneity
  • Cancer health disparity research

Department of Oncology Seminar Series

The Department of Oncology Seminar Series is focused on current and emerging areas of cancer research. The seminars are organized with the goal of educating faculty, postdocs, students, and other trainees about the latest advancements in the field and facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations. 

Follow us on X @OncologyScience for upcoming seminar presentation announcements!

News and Events

The Department of Oncology Science Welcomes Dr. Tae Gyu Oh to the Faculty!

The Department of Oncology Science Welcomes Dr. Tae Gyu Oh to the Faculty!


Published: Monday, July 17, 2023

Dr. Pankaj Singh, PhD, and the Department of Oncology Science are pleased to announce that Dr. Tae Gyu Oh has joined the department as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Oh joins us after five years at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, CA where he was part of the Evans lab. 

His academic knowledge and professional experiences were obtained from research in the field of targeting microbiome, virulome profile, inflammation-associated metabolic disorders, fibrosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and cancers. During his post-doctoral training, he decided to broaden his research scope to advanced bioinformatics, including the development of advanced techniques such as microbiome and metabolome profiling, single cell data analyses, and a Machine-Learning and AI-based diagnostic model for metabolic diseases associated with inflammation and cancer.

Utilizing Metagenome and Machine-Learning with stools samples from liver cirrhosis patients and healthy liver cohorts, he identified a set of 19 species that demonstrated strong predictive power, achieving a diagnostic accuracy of 0.91 AUC, in determining different stages of fibrosis and cirrhosis (Oh et al., 2020 & 2021 [Cell Metabolism]). This groundbreaking discovery of a universal microbiome-derived signature/model represents a major step toward developing a stool-based diagnostic test for advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis in high-risk individuals. His work received recognition at the AASLD 2019, and he was honored with the Fellow Research Award.

In his laboratory, Dr. Oh's research expertise spans multiple disciplines, including bioinformatics, metabolism, and single cell biology. With his interdisciplinary knowledge and skills, he will play a pivotal role in laying a solid foundation for the department, fostering vibrant collaborations among faculty and students. Moreover, Dr. Oh's expertise seamlessly aligns with the Stephenson Cancer Center's existing strengths, propelling advancements in the understanding of the biology (including Nuclear Receptor) and therapeutics of human cancers. Alongside his rich background in research, Dr. Oh is deeply committed to creating an inclusive and nurturing classroom and laboratory environment.

Funding Opportunities