https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/academic-departments Parent Page: Academic Departments id: 21483 Active Page: Oncology Science id:27744
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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. 

Thank you to all of our 2024-2025 Seminar Series speakers!

Follow us on X and Instagram for upcoming 2025-2026 seminar presentation announcements!

 @OncologyScience                 @ouoncologyscience

News and Events

The OU Board of Regents Approves Ph.D. Program in Cancer Biology! Pending OSRHE Approval!

The OU Board of Regents Approves Ph.D. Program in Cancer Biology! Pending OSRHE Approval!


Published: Friday, September 13, 2024

The Department of Oncology Science has been developing a Ph.D. Graduate Program in Cancer Biology!

The Cancer Biology Ph.D. Graduate Program has been approved by the OU Board of Regents and will now go before the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for final approval!

The proposed program will give researchers a specific background in basic and translational cancer research. We seek to provide research training to students for investigating the mechanisms and etiology of different malignancies, developing new cancer diagnostic tools, cancer therapies, and tools to investigate and improve the quality-of-life measures for cancer patients. 

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. This coincides with the mission of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to educate students, residents, and other trainees in professional and graduate programs to become Oklahoma’s future team of healthcare leaders, clinicians, researchers, and educators.

See the exciting announcement from OU News here!

Funding Opportunities

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