The Oliver Lab focuses on mechanisms of drug response and resistance in lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and is divided into two major subtypes: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). More than 80% of lung cancer patients have NSCLC. These patients are typically treated with combination chemotherapy regimens including a platinum-based compound such as cisplatin. However, the response rate is poor (only ~30%) and the five-year survival rate is only 15%. A major problem limiting therapeutic efficacy is drug resistance, both inherent and acquired.

The Oliver Lab is interested in understanding mechanisms of therapeutic response and resistance in cancer in order to personalize therapies based on the characteristics of a given tumor. Our approach is to integrate human genomic/sequencing data with mechanistic data gleaned from cell culture systems and biological data from state-of-the-art mouse models of cancer.

We use mouse models of lung cancer that closely resemble features of human lung cancer. To monitor the therapeutic response of mouse lung tumors, we use sophisticated in vivo imaging technologies (such as micro-CT and bioluminescent and fluorescent imaging). We also use mouse and human tumor cell lines to probe the function of particular genes and signaling pathways. Other techniques used in the lab include gene expression analyses, genomics, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, RNAi technologies, and mouse genetics.