Cancer Institute, Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis

Websitehttps://cancer.psu.edu/research/programs/mechanisms-carcinogenesis

Postal addressShow on map
United States

Organization profile

The Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis research program of Penn State Cancer Institute investigates the mechanisms of carcinogenesis induced by viruses, chemicals and environmental/dietary agents through basic research.

Novel carcinogenic mechanisms identified by the program are applied toward the prevention and treatment of human cancers in collaboration with the Cancer Control research program and the Next-Generation Therapies program.

Jordan Bisanz
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology - Assistant Professor
- Penn State Cancer Institute
- One Health Microbiome Center
- Cancer Institute, Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis
Person: Academic
20102025
David D. Boehr, PhD
- Chemistry - Professor of Chemistry
- Penn State Cancer Institute
- Cancer Institute, Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis
Person: Academic
20002024
Margherita Teresa-Anna Cantorna, PhD
- Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - Distinguished Professor
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
- Penn State Cancer Institute
- Cancer Institute, Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis
Person: Academic
19902024
Kun-Ming Chen, PhD, MS
- Department of Molecular and Precision Medicine - Associate Professor
- Penn State Cancer Institute
- Cancer Institute, Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis
Person: Academic
20042025
Neil Christensen, MSc, PhD
Person: Academic
19832024
Michael Creer, MD
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine - Laurence M. Demers Professor in Pathology
- Division of Clinical Pathology - Chief
- Penn State Cancer Institute
- Cancer Institute, Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis
Person: Academic
19782024
Kristin Eckert, PhD
Person: Academic
19872025
Karam El-Bayoumy, PhD
- Department of Molecular and Precision Medicine - Distinguished Professor
- Penn State Cancer Institute - Associate Director, Basic Research
- Cancer Institute, Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis
- Penn State Center for Research on Tobacco and Health
Person: Academic
19792025
Irina Elcheva, PhD
Person: Academic
19982025
Adam Bleier Glick, PhD
Person: Academic
19872024

A designed synthetic microbiota provides insight to community function in Clostridioides difficile resistance
Tian, S., Kim, M. S., Zhao, J., Heber, K., Hao, F., Koslicki, D., Tian, S., Singh, V., Patterson, A. D. & Bisanz, J. E., Mar 12 2025, In: Cell Host and Microbe. 33, 3, p. 373-387.e9
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
Advancements in 3D skin bioprinting: processes, bioinks, applications and sensor integration
Derman, I. D., Rivera, T., Garriga Cerda, L., Singh, Y. P., Saini, S., Abaci, H. E. & Ozbolat, I. T., Feb 1 2025, In: International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing. 7, 1, 012009.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Open Access
3 Scopus citations
A human iPSC-derived midbrain neural stem cell model of prenatal opioid exposure and withdrawal: A proof of concept study
Sullivan, R., Ahrens, Q., Mills-Huffnagle, S. L., Elcheva, I. A. & Hicks, S., Apr 2025, In: PloS one. 20, 4 April, e0319418.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
Application of predictive modeling tools for the identification of Ocimum spp. herbal products
Abraham, E. J., Chamberlain, S. J., Perera, W. H., Jordan, R. T. & Kellogg, J. J., Mar 2025, In: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 417, 8, p. 1479-1495 17 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Bilayer or Not: Revisiting the Structural Nature of HBV Subviral Particles
Liu, H., Garg, S., Hu, J. & Wang, J. C. Y., Feb 2025, In: Journal of Medical Virology. 97, 2, e70212.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

Open Access
Bioprinted optoelectronically active cardiac tissues
Ershad, F., Rao, Z., Maharajan, S., Mesquita, F. C. P., Ha, J., Gonzalez, L., Haideri, T., Da Costa, E. C., Moctezuma-Ramirez, A., Wang, Y., Jang, S., Lu, Y., Patel, S., Wang, X., Tao, Y., Weygant, J., Garciamendez-Mijares, C. E., Carlos Orrantia Clark, L., Zubair, M. & Lian, X. L. & 5 others, Elgalad, A., Yang, J., Hochman-Mendez, C., Zhang, Y. S. & Yu, C., Jan 24 2025, In: Science Advances. 11, 4, eadt7210.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
Black Raspberry Modulates Cecal and Oral Microbiomes at the Early Stage of a Dibenzo[def,p]chrysene-Induced Murine Oral Cancer Model
Zhao, J., Sun, Y. W., Chen, K. M., Aliaga, C., Bisanz, J. E. & El-Bayoumy, K., Jan 1 2025, In: Cancer Prevention Research. 18, 1, p. 11-21 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Cryo-EM structure of apo-form human DNA polymerase δ elucidates its minimal DNA synthesis activity without PCNA
Shin, Y., Hedglin, M. & Murakami, K., Apr 2025, In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. 301, 4, 108342.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
Cytotoxic lymphocytes induced by engineered human dendritic cells mediate potent anti-leukemia activity
Zhao, C., Jia, B., Jiang, Y., Shike, H., Annageldiyev, C., Cioccio, J., Minagawa, K., Mineishi, S., Ehmann, W., Schell, T. D., Cheng, H. & Zheng, H., Mar 2025, In: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy. 74, 4, 117.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
Detergent/surfactant retention during ultrafiltration in the formulation of biotherapeutics
Chu, L. K., Du, Z., Billups, M., Oh, H. J. & Zydney, A. L., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Biotechnology progress.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access

24 Active
190 Finished

Phase Changing Ultrasound Contrast Agents for Deep Tissue Imaging of Cellular Immunotherapies
Medina, S. H. (PI), Kirimanjeswara, G. S. (CoPI), Slukvin, I. I. I. (CoPI) & Simon, J. (CoPI)
National Cancer Institute
9/10/24 → 8/31/25
Project: Research project
Flow Of Gene Expression Across Mitochondrial Condensates
Mahynski, M. (PI)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
9/1/24 → 7/31/25
Project: Research project
3D Printing of Air: An Intangible Ink for Fabrication of Vascularized Tissues
Ozbolat, I. T. (PI) & Ravnic, D. (CoPI)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
7/9/24 → 4/30/25
Project: Research project
IUCRC Phase III The Pennsylvania State University: Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST)
Zydney, A. (PI), Gomez, E. D. (CoPI), Arges, C. (CoPI), Sheikhi, A. (CoPI) & Oh, H. J. (CoPI)
National Science Foundation
3/1/24 → 2/28/29
Project: Research project
Penn State TCORS: Tobacco Product Composition Effects on Toxicity and Addiction
Muscat, J. (PI), Hobkirk, A. (CoPI), Sun, D. (CoPI), Richie, J. (CoPI), Foulds, J. (CoPI), Liao, J. (CoPI) & Spratt, T. (CoPI)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
9/30/23 → 8/31/25
Project: Research project
Project 1: Translational Studies on Temperature and Solvent Effects on Electronic Cigarette-Derived Oxidants
Richie, J. (PI) & Spratt, T. (PI)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
9/30/23 → 8/31/25
Project: Research project
Developing in situ transcriptomics of a bioprinted follicular skin model
Oh, J. (PI) & Ozbolat, I. T. (CoPI)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
9/20/23 → 9/14/25
Project: Research project
Metabolic Regulation of erythropoiesis
Paulson, R. (PI)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
8/15/23 → 7/31/25
Project: Research project
BIOINSPIRED ENZYMATIC MANUFACTURING OF PULSE PROTEIN HYDROGELS AS COLD/HEAT-TOLERANT FAT TEXTURIZING AGENTS
Zhang, Y. (PI)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
8/1/23 → 7/31/27
Project: Research project
Environmental Chemical Impact on the Host-Microbiome Interaction
Patterson, A. D. (PI)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
6/13/23 → 5/31/25
Project: Research project

3 Oral presentation

Unraveling the controversial role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ in cancer
Peters, J. M. (Keynote speaker)
2016 → …
Activity: Talk types › Oral presentation
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors as molecular targets for the treatment and prevention of diseases
Peters, J. M. (Invited speaker)
2009 → …
Activity: Talk types › Oral presentation
PPARβ(δ)-dependent regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and carcinogenesis: Studies from null mouse models
Peters, J. M. (Invited speaker)
2005 → …
Activity: Talk types › Oral presentation

Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Hussein, R. (Recipient), Stredny, E. (Recipient), Whitley, M. (Recipient), Mnatsakanyan, N. (Recipient), Raimundo, N. (Recipient), Zarnescu, D. (Recipient), Adams, N. (Recipient), Lanza, M. (Recipient), Kowalczyk, A. (Recipient), Travelute, C. (Recipient), Marco, C. (Recipient), Tondt, J. (Recipient), Anderson, A. (Recipient), Heron, C. (Recipient), Newman, R. (Recipient), Richard, D. (Recipient), Scartozzi, C. (Recipient), Dellasega, C. (Recipient), Akhtar, N. (Recipient), Albano-Aluquin, S. (Recipient), Chisty, A. (Recipient), Crook, T. (Recipient), Federici, E. H. (Recipient), Ingram, D. (Recipient), Lakshmanan, P. (Recipient), Mathew, A. (Recipient), Narayana, S. (Recipient), Prokop, A. (Recipient), Razjouyan, H. (Recipient), Tariq, A. (Recipient), Thompson, B. (Recipient), Thompson, E. (Recipient), Trivedi, N. (Recipient), Van Scoy, L. (Recipient), Wong, J. (Recipient), Allie, S. R. (Recipient), Browning, K. (Recipient), Evey, L. (Recipient), McLaughlin, P. (Recipient), Mamarabadi, M. (Recipient), Shankar, L. (Recipient), Bowie, E. (Recipient), Petfield, J. (Recipient), Whitaker, M. (Recipient), Aynardi, J. (Recipient), Allen, N. (Recipient), Cunningham, B. (Recipient), Gandhi, C. (Recipient), Jairath, B. (Recipient), Lutzkanin, K. M. (Recipient), Kerris, E. (Recipient), Nelson, A. (Recipient), Shook, J. (Recipient), Proctor, E. A. (Recipient), Raup-Konsavage, W. (Recipient), Romanoski, N. (Recipient), Graziane, J. (Recipient), Llorente, A. (Recipient), Nutting, S. (Recipient), Pinto, C. (Recipient), Yingst, J. (Recipient), Zhou, S. (Recipient), Mahase, S. (Recipient), Brian, P. (Recipient), Goldman, E. (Recipient), Maffie, J. (Recipient), Brahmbhatt, R. (Recipient), Fahy, A. (Recipient), Gish, J. (Recipient), Reed, M. F. (Recipient) & Tomasko, J. (Recipient), 2024
Prize
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
Hollins, L. C. (Recipient), Nisnevitch-Savarese, Z. (Recipient), Read, S. (Recipient), Rossi, J. (Recipient), Royo, M. (Recipient), Sarraf, E. (Recipient), Shah, B. (Recipient), Moldovan, G.-L. (Recipient), van Riggelen, J. (Recipient), Shantz, L. (Recipient), Yengo, C. (Recipient), Booth, J. (Recipient), Bates, E. (Recipient), Schuster, A. (Recipient), Clebak, K. (Recipient), Daniels, E. W. (Recipient), Hays, A. (Recipient), Hemerly, N. (Recipient), Thompson, A. (Recipient), George, D. (Recipient), Evey, L. (Recipient), McLaughlin, P. (Recipient), Acharya, J. (Recipient), De Jesus, S. (Recipient), O'Leary, A. (Recipient), Wright, T. (Recipient), Cantore, W. (Recipient), Pantanelli, S. (Recipient), Millard, R. (Recipient), Updegrove, G. F. (Recipient), Choi, K. (Recipient), Darowish, C. (Recipient), Dooley, A. (Recipient), Hackman, N. (Recipient), Krawiec, C. (Recipient), Oji-Mmuo, C. (Recipient), Ryan, S. (Recipient), Shedlock, A. (Recipient), Tunks, R. (Recipient), Critchfield, L. (Recipient), Bellon, A. (Recipient), Dougherty, K. (Recipient), Lagman, J. (Recipient), Mahgoub, Y. (Recipient), Dreibelbis, T. (Recipient), Richie, J. (Recipient), Wang, L. (Recipient), Methratta, S. (Recipient), Chauvin, N. (Recipient), Deutsch, M. (Recipient), Kulaylat, A. (Recipient), Paulishak, M. (Recipient), Staszak, R. (Recipient) & MacDonald, S. (Recipient), 2022
Prize
Faculty Research Grant
Stahley, S. (Recipient), 2022
Prize
Junior Faculty Research Scholar Award
Hobbs, R. (Recipient), Graziane, N. (Recipient), Kwun, H. J. (Recipient) & Stine, J. (Recipient), 2018
Prize
Outstanding Collaborative Research Team
El-Bayoumy, K. (Recipient), Manni, A. (Recipient), Richie, J. (Recipient), Liao, J. (Recipient), Vanden Heuvel, J. P. (Recipient), Demers, L. (Recipient), Dillard, J. (Recipient) & Rogers, C. J. (Recipient), 2016
Prize