The Cancer Biology and Genetics (CBGN) cluster offers educational and research opportunities in the areas of cancer and the genetic and molecular basis of human disease within the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM). The CBGN cluster provides PhD, MD/PhD and MS students the opportunity to work with faculty from the Fels Research Institute at the School of Medicine and the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC), as well as basic science and clinical departments at LKSOM. The membership of FCCC faculty in the CBGN cluster affords students the opportunity to undertake their research in FCCC laboratories. Students have their choice of numerous research laboratories at both LKSOM and FCCC to provide training in Cancer Biology, including mechanisms of transformation and tumorigenesis, signal transduction, the cell cycle and DNA repair using novel model systems and other cutting edge techniques. Other investigators studying the genetics and epigenetics of normal and diseased states use state-of-the-art genomic and epigenomic techniques and analyses. In addition to mechanistic studies, CBGN investigators are developing novel therapeutics for both the treatment and prevention of cancer and other diseases. Moreover, other CBGN members specialize in Cancer Prevention and Control and Cancer Immunology.

The CBGN cluster curriculum offers two advanced courses—Cancer Biology, and Genetics and Epigenetics. These courses build upon the concepts students learn in the biomedical science core curriculum. Moreover, this cluster also runs a vigorous Seminar Program with participation of students, faculty, postdoctoral fellows and invited speakers from the scientific community. The educational offerings together with the research opportunities within this cluster will allow interested students to gain the knowledge and research skills to position themselves at the forefront of tomorrow’s efforts to eradicate cancer.

Faculty

• Mark Andrake, PhD*
• Igor Astsaturov, MD, PhD*
• Siddharth Balachandran, PhD*
• Alfonso Bellacosa, MD, PhD*
• Lucia Borriello, PhD
• Michael Bromberg, MD, PhD
• Kerry Campbell, PhD* 
• Paul Campbell, PhD*
• Israel Canadas, PhD*
• Lu Chen, PhD*
• Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD*
• Margie Clapper, PhD
• Denise Connolly, PhD*
• Edna Cukierman, PhD*
• Mohan Doss, PhD*
• Roland Dunbrack, PhD*
• James Duncan, PhD*
• Cihangir Duy, PhD, MS*
• Margret Einarson, PhD*
• Joan Font-Burgada, PhD*
• Ana Gamero, PhD
• Glenn S. Gerhard, MD
• Erica Golemis, PhD
• Xavier Grana, PhD
• Sergei Grivennikov, PhD*
• Dale Haines, PhD
• Neil Johnson, PhD*
• Dietmar Kappes, PhD*
• John Karanicolas, PhD*
• Richard Katz, PhD*
• Sergey Karakashev, PhD
• Vladimir Kolenko, MD, PhD*
• Warren D. Kruger, PhD*
• Alana O'Reilly, PhD*
• Swayam Prabha, MBA, PhD
• Camille Ragin, PhD, MPH*
• Lori Rink, PhD*
• Eric Ross, PhD*
• Mahmut Safak, PhD
• Scott Shore, PhD
• Tomasz Skorski, MD, PhD, DSc
• Jonathan Soboloff , PhD
• Joseph Testa, PhD*
• Pedro Torres-Ayuso, PhD
• Çagla Tükel, PhD
• Kelly Whelan, PhD
• Johnathan R. Whetstine, PhD*
• Amy Whitaker, PhD*
• Hassen Wollebo, PhD
• David Wiest, PhD*
• M. Raza Zaidi, PhD
• Huaqing Zhao, MS, PhD
• Zeng-jie Yang, MD, PhD*

*Indicates Fox Chase Cancer Center faculty

The Infectious Disease and Immunity cluster (IDIM) brings faculty together from basic science and clinical departments, as well as research centers, to support and train PhD, MD/PhD and MS students within the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. The IDIM cluster provides educational and research opportunities focused on the overlapping fields of Microbiology and Immunology. Microbiology involves the study of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, or parasites) and the pathogenesis of the diseases they cause, whereas Immunology is the study of the mechanisms whereby our bodies control infections.

The IDIM cluster houses comprehensive research programs covering multiple aspects of these related fields. For instance, investigators study basic aspects of bacterial physiology, the molecular biology of DNA and RNA viruses, with a particular emphasis on viruses important in human health, such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), and how innate recognition systems within the immune system, such as Toll-like receptors, function during host defense. Other investigators are examining specific aspects of the immune system, for instance at unique sites of infections such as the skin or the lungs, immune system dysfunction and how immune system functions are modulated by interactions with drugs of abuse such as opioids, methamphetamine, and cannabinoids.

The IDIM cluster curriculum offers students advanced course work in such topics as immunology, virology and mechanisms of host-microbe interactions. Students participate in a cluster seminar series and various research-focused journal clubs. The goal of the cluster is to develop in students a broad knowledge of infectious disease and immunity that is complemented with the most current research findings in the field.

Faculty

• Siddharth Balachandran, PhD*
• Bettina Buttaro, PhD
• Israel Canadas, PhD*
• Kerry Campbell, PhD* 
• Marion Chan, PhD
• Sergei Grivennikov, PhD*
• Wen-Zhe Ho, MD, MPH
• Liselotte Jensen, PhD
• Rafal Kaminski, PhD
• Kamel Khalili, PhD
• Laurie Kilpatrick, PhD
• Marc Monestier, MD, PhD
• Yuri Persidsky, MD, PhD
• Raghava Potula, MHA, PhD
• Glenn Rall, PhD*
• Thomas Rogers, PhD
• Umadevi Sajjan, PhD
• Ilker Sariyer, PhD
• Tomasz Skorski, MD, PhD, DSc
• Vincent Tam, PhD
• Alexander Tsygankov, PhD
• Çagla Tükel, PhD
• Hong Wang, MD, PhD
• Juncheng Wei, PhD
• David Wiest, PhD*
• Hassen Wollebo, PhD
• Xiao-Feng Yang, MD, PhD

*Indicates Fox Chase Cancer Center faculty

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The Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCBS) cluster provides educational and research opportunities related to biochemistry and molecular biology within the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM). The Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCBS) cluster offers opportunities for PhD, MD/PhD and MS students to become skilled and creative research scientists, providing them with the tools to develop into independent researchers. Graduate training within the MCBS cluster is focused on understanding the structure, function, and regulation of the essential molecules within cells, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, and to determine their role in the assembly and operation of major cellular entities including protein and enzyme complexes, cellular membranes, chromosomes, organelles, and operational targets for drugs and bioactive agents. The training emphasizes the integration of understanding of molecular structure and function of these at different levels of biological organization including molecules, cells and tissues. The focus of training is to combine basic molecular and cellular studies within a strong translational research emphasis.

In addition to the core curriculum, students are able to take several cluster-based elective courses including Enzymes and Proteins, RNA and Gene Expression, Molecular Physiology of Ion Signaling, and Biophysical Approaches to Research. Students are also expected to participate in the activities of MCBS student seminar and journal clubs which currently include such topics as calcium signaling, caveolae, and musculoskeleton.

Students can select thesis advisors from more than 20 research laboratories. The research areas of the MCBS faculty include cell signaling, growth and differentiation, cellular and molecular pharmacology, stem cells and regeneration, developmental biology, structural biology, membrane biophysics, metabolism, regulation of gene expression, and protein structure and function.

Such training will allow students to gain specialized knowledge and develop skills in cutting-edge molecular, cellular, biochemical, and biophysical technologies that will provide a crucial foundation for undertaking fundamental and translational investigation within the entire spectrum of biomedical research.

Faculty

• Mark Andrake, PhD*
• Michael Autieri, PhD
• Lucia Borriello, PhD
• Bettina Buttaro, PhD
• Paul Campbell, PhD*
• Lu Chen, PhD*
• Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD*
• Parkson Lee-Gau Chong, PhD
• Edna Cukierman, PhD*
• Roland Dunbrack, PhD*
• James Duncan, PhD*
• Cihangir Duy, PhD, MS*
• Satoru Eguchi, MD, PhD
• John Elrod, PhD
• Concepcion Estaras, PhD
• Silvia Fossati, PhD
• Gianluca Gallo, PhD
• Ana Gamero, PhD
• Glenn S. Gerhard, MD
• Kathleen M. Giangiacomo, PhD
• Erica Golemis, PhD
• Xavier Grana, PhD
• Dale Haines, PhD
• Tiffiney Hartman, PhD*
• Eileen Jaffe, PhD*
• Liselotte Jensen, PhD
• Neil Johnson, PhD*
• Shin Kang, PhD
• Dietmar Kappes, PhD*
• Sergey Karakashev, PhD
• John Karanicolas, PhD*
• Mohsin Khan, PhD
• Seonhee Kim, PhD
• Lynn Kirby, PhD
• Raj Kishore, PhD
• Beata Kosmider, PhD
• Warren D. Kruger, PhD*
• Satya P. Kunapuli, PhD
• Shuxin Li, PhD
• Judith Litvin, PhD
• Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen, PhD
• Xiaolei Liu, PhD
• Victor Luna, PhD
• Marc Monestier, MD, PhD
• Alana O'Reilly, PhD*
• Steven N. Popoff, PhD
• Glenn Rall, PhD*
• A. Koneti Rao, MD
• Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha, PhD
• Victor Rizzo, PhD
• Heinrich Roder, PhD*
• Brad Rothberg, PhD
• Abdel Karim Sabri, PhD
• Umadevi Sajjan, PhD
• Bassel E. Sawaya, PhD
• Michael E. Selzer, MD, PhD
• Jillian Simon, PhD
• Jonathan Soboloff , PhD
• Scott Shore, PhD
• Stephanie Sillivan, PhD
• George Smith, PhD
• Nathaniel W. Snyder, PhD, MPH, DABT​
• Young-Jin Son, PhD
• Vincent Tam, PhD
• Gareth Thomas, PhD
• Pedro Torres-Ayuso, PhD
• Ying Tian, PhD
• Douglas Tilley, PhD
• Alexander Tsygankov, PhD
• Juncheng Wei, PhD
• Johnathan R. Whetstine, PhD*
• Amy Whitaker, PhD*
• Sheng Wu, PhD
• Ling Yang, PhD*
• Jun Yu, MD
• M. Raza Zaidi, PhD

*Indicates Fox Chase Cancer Center faculty

The Neuroscience cluster is an educational working group, supporting PhD, MD/PhD, and MS educational/research programs within Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University’s Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. This cluster provides thematic courses, research opportunities, and educational activities related to neuroscience, bringing together faculty members from basic science and clinical departments, as well as research centers—Center of Substance Abuse, Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, and Comprehensive NeuroAIDS Center, and Shriner’s Hospitals Pediatric Research Center.

Neuroscience is an extremely broad field encompassing the mechanisms involved in central and peripheral nervous system development, neuronal function, injury, and repair. These mechanisms contribute to memory, emotion, sensory (including pain), motor, and cognitive functions. The Neuroscience cluster offers exposure to a number of areas of basic neuroscience research and education with the goal of translating basic research advances into treatments for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Indeed, the breadth and depth of the faculty members encourages an interdisciplinary approach to neuroscience education that will prepare our graduate students with an understanding of neurodegenerative disease processes, neural injury, and promote the development of effective therapeutics and modalities for repair.

The Neuroscience cluster curriculum includes a weekly student seminar, research-focused journal clubs, and a series of cluster-based electives that provide a strong foundation in basic neuroscience, neuropharmacology, and translational neuroscience research. The goal of this curriculum, integrated with the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, is to prepare a new cadre of scientists and physicians with interdisciplinary neuroscience training and support trainees' contributions to the development of effective treatments for neurological disorders.

Faculty

• Mary Barbe, PhD
• Silvia Fossati, PhD
• Gianluca Gallo, PhD
• Kathleen M. Giangiacomo, PhD
• Wen-Zhe Ho, MD, MPH
• Rafal Kaminski, PhD
• Shin Kang, PhD
• Kamel Khalili, PhD
• Seonhee Kim, PhD
• Lynn Kirby, PhD
• Barbara Krynska, PhD
• Shuxin Li, PhD
• Victor Luna, PhD
• Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen, PhD
• Henry Parkman, MD
• Terry Heiman-Patterson, MD
• Yuri Persidsky, MD, PhD
• Domenico Praticò, MD
• Scott Rawls, PhD
• Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha, PhD
• Slava Rom, PhD
• Brad Rothberg, PhD
• Mahmut Safak, PhD
• Ilker Sariyer, PhD
• Bassel E. Sawaya, PhD
• Rosario Scalia, MD, PhD
• Stephanie Sillivan, PhD
• George Smith, PhD
• Young-Jin Son, PhD
• Gareth Thomas, PhD
• Ellen Unterwald, PhD
• Sara Ward, PhD
• Zeng-jie Yang, MD, PhD*
• Huaqing Zhao, PhD

*Indicates Fox Chase Cancer Center faculty

The Organ Systems and Translational Medicine (OSTM) cluster is designed to provide student training at the interface between biology and medicine. The OSTM cluster provides educational and research opportunities for PhD, MD/PhD and MS students within the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University’s Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. OSTM faculty are from a variety of basic science departments, including Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pharmacology and Physiology, research centers (Cardiovascular Research; Translational Medicine; Inflammation, Translational and Clinical Lung Research; Thrombosis Research) and clinical departments. The OSTM cluster promotes collaborations between clinical and basic scientists and offers an interdisciplinary training environment for students interested in translational biology. Research programs available for trainees include cardiovascular disease, vascular biology, molecular pharmacology, metabolic disorders, stem cell biology, and lung and skeletal muscle function and dysfunction.

Students receive an interdisciplinary approach in both in the laboratory and classroom. The OSTM curriculum integrates a basic medical understanding of anatomy, histology, pathology, pharmacology and physiology into current molecular approaches to translational research. Advanced courses on organ physiology and pathophysiology, translational medicine, hemostasis and thrombosis are complemented with research-focused journal clubs and a student seminar series that bridge the basic and clinical sciences.

Faculty

• Igor Astsaturov, MD, PhD*
• Michael Autieri, PhD
• Mary Barbe, PhD
• Alfonso Bellacosa, MD, PhD*
• Michael Bromberg, MD, PhD
• Joan Font-Burgada, PhD*
• Marion Chan, PhD
• Margie Clapper, PhD*
• Denise Connolly, PhD*
• Deborah Crabbe, MD
• Satoru Eguchi, MD, PhD
• John Elrod, PhD
• Concepcion Estaras, PhD
• Eman Hamad, MD
• Mohsin Khan, PhD
• Laurie Kilpatrick, PhD
• Raj Kishore, PhD
• Beata Kosmider, PhD
• Satya P. Kunapuli, PhD
• Judith Litvin, PhD
• Xiaolei Liu, PhD
• Sadia Mohsin, PhD
• Henry Parkman, MD
• Steven N. Popoff, PhD
• Raghava Potula, MHA, PhD
• Domenico Praticò, MD
• A. Koneti Rao, MD
• Scott Rawls, PhD
• Lori Rink, PhD* 
• Thomas Rogers, PhD
• Slava Rom, PhD
• Eric Ross, PhD*
• Abdel Karim Sabri, PhD
• Jillian Simon, PhD
• Nathaniel W. Snyder, PhD, MPH, DABT​
• Ying Tian, PhD
• Douglas Tilley, PhD
• Ellen Unterwald, PhD
• Hong Wang, MD, PhD
• Sara Ward, PhD
• Kelly Whelan, PhD
• Sheng Wu, PhD
• Ling Yang, PhD
• Xiao-Feng Yang, MD, PhD
• Jun Yu, MD

*Indicates Fox Chase Cancer Center faculty