Experimental Therapeutics Program
The Experimental Therapeutics Program at The Georgia Cancer Center (Â鶹AV) drives innovation in cancer research and precision oncology by uniting scientists and clinicians to develop the next generation of cellular (CAR T) and targeted therapies.
Our Goal & Focus Translational Impact Membership Faculty
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Research
Health Sciences Campus
Our Goal & Focus
Our goal is to translate cutting-edge discoveries in genomics, proteomics, and immunotherapy into more effective and personalized treatments for cancer patients.
Our Focus is to advance translational cancer research through:
- Testing novel cellular and small-molecule therapies in preclinical and clinical studies
- Developing next-generation immunotherapies and oncolytic viruses
- Identifying new molecular targets and pathways that drive cancer progression
- Promoting drug repurposing and natural product–based therapeutics
Translational Impact & Research Themes
Our investigators partner with the NCI NExT Program and the Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN) to move promising discoveries efficiently from the laboratory to early-phase clinical trials, accelerating the delivery of innovative cancer treatments to patients.
Research Themes
- Natural product discovery: uncovering medicinal plant-derived compounds with unique anti-tumor activity
- Tumor microenvironment modulation: reprogramming immune suppression to enhance cancer immunotherapy
- Molecular target discovery: focusing on molecular chaperones and other key cancer drivers
- Genomic and epigenomic insights: understanding racial and ethnic differences in drug response
- Cancer prevention: developing strategies to reduce cancer risk and recurrence
Progam Memberships
The program includes scientists and clinicians from departments of Pathology, Surgery, Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Pediatrics Oncology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Physiology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, as well as the Immunology Center of Georgia and the Cardiovascular Center.
Disease Areas
Our investigators focus on a broad range of cancers, including:
Breast cancer • Liver cancer • Melanoma and other skin malignancies • Head and neck cancers • Hematologic malignancies • Neuro-oncology • Urologic oncology • Pediatric cancers
Scientists
- Assistant Professor
- Program Co-leader
Clinicians
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Professor
- Professor
Susan Gearhart, MD
- Professor
- Associate Professor
- Professor
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor
Rachael Piver, MD
- PGY-7
762-375-2669
- Associate Professor
- Assistant Professor
Akash Shah
- PGY-6
- Assistant Professor
Marian Symmes Johnson, MD, FACOG
- Assistant Professor
Rachel Watson
- PGY-5
Chemists
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Dean
- Professor
Jorge Nochebuena, PhD
- Assistant Professor
Bionformatics/AI
- Professor