The mission of the University of Florida Health Cancer Center (UFHCC) Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) program is to increase the understanding of how normal cells undergo multiple complex changes leading to transformation into cancer cells. The research aims focus on genomic and epigenetic mutations and cell signaling, the role of noncoding RNAs in cancer, and on how DNA tumorviruses dysregulate host cellular pathways leading to cancer.
The scientific objectives of the MOO program are to identify and understand cellular pathways that are dysregulated during neoplastic transformation and progression to decipher how these changes promote the cancer phenotype, and to develop methodologies to target these cancer-specific signaling events.
Aims
The long-term goal of these aims is to develop rational bases for combining interventions using these targets in a patient-specific, precision medicine manner, and to translate them into novel therapeutic approaches.
Program Co-leaders
Learn more about Drs. Lizi Wu and Daohong Zhou.
Working Groups
Learn more about MOO’s working groups.
Program Members
To request an update, please email ResearchAdmin@cancer.ufl.edu.
| Name | Degree(s) | Research Program | Title | Department | Lab Page | College | Research Interest Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toth, Zsolt | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Oral Biology | Lab | Dentistry | Cancer Genetics; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Immunoregulation & Suppression; Infection Control; Lymphoma; Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation; RNA Processing; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions |
Papp, Bernadett | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Research Assistant Professor | Oral Biology | Lab | Dentistry | Bioinformatics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Stem Cell; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host interactions |
Tang, Xin | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering | Engineering | Angiogenesis; Breast; Epigenetics & Cancer; Immunoregulation & Suppression; Immunotherapy; Integrative Medicine; Metastasis; Nanotechnology; Noninvasive Imaging/Tomography; Vascular Targeting | |
Murfee, Walter | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Biomedical Engineering | Lab | Engineering | Angiogenesis; Stem Cell; Targeted Cancer Therapy; Vascular Targeting |
Kahveci, Tamer | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor & Associate Chair of Academic Affairs | Computer & Information Science & Engineering | Lab | Engineering | Bioinformatics |
Conesa Cegarra, Ana | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Microbiology & Cell Science | IFAS | Genetic determinants; Bioinformatics | |
De Crecy Lagard, Valerie | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Microbiology & Cell Science | IFAS | Cell Signaling Pathways |
|
Maupin-Furlow, Julie | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Microbiology & Cell Science | IFAS | Microbiology; Cell Signaling Pathways | |
Baer, Charles | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Biology | Lab | Liberal Arts & Sciences | Evolutionary Biology; Population Genetics; Quantitative Genetics |
Rong, Libin | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Mathematics | Liberal Arts & Sciences | Epidemiology |
|
Perez, Alberto | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Chemistry | Lab | Liberal Arts & Sciences | Bioinformatics; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation |
Wallace, Margaret (Peggy) | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Lab | Medicine | Bone & Soft Tissue Sarcomas; Breast; Cancer Genetics; DNA Damage & Repair; Epigenetics & Cancer; Genetic Determinants of Cancer; Head & Neck; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Skin/Melanoma; Vascular Targeting |
Liao, Daiqing | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Anatomy & Cell Biology | Medicine | Apoptosis & Cell Death Pathways; Breast; Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Chemotherapy; Drug Design; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Genital-Urinary/Prostate; Immunoregulation & Suppression; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions | |
Ishov, Alexander | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Anatomy & Cell Biology | Medicine | Breast; Prostate; Cancer Genetics; Chemotherapy; Epigenetics & Cancer | |
Opavsky, Rene | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Anatomy & Cell Biology | Medicine | Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Leukemia; Lymphoma | |
Huang, Shuang | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Anatomy & Cell Biology | Medicine | Breast; Cell Signaling Pathways; Drug Design; Drug Resistance; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Gynecological; Metastasis; MicroRNAs; RNA Processing | |
Xiao, Rui | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Aging & Geriatric Research | Medicine | Transcription Factors; Aging; Cellular Stress Response; Sensory Modulation of Aging; Environmental Factors | |
Lu, Jianrong | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Medicine | Angiogenesis; Apoptosis & Cell Death Pathways; Breast; Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Genetic Determinants of Cancer; Metastasis; Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation | |
Bungert, Jorg | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Lab | Medicine | Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant |
Kilberg, Michael | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Medicine | Cell Signaling Pathways; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Leukemia; Liver; Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation | |
Kladde, Michael | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Lab | Medicine | Cancer Epigenetics; Colorectal and Breast Cancer; Glioblastoma; Cell Signaling Pathways |
Xie, Mingyi | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Lab | Medicine | Bioinformatics; Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; MicroRNAs; RNA Processing; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions |
Concannon, Patrick | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Pathology, Immunology & Laboratory Medicine | Lab | Medicine | Medicine; Breast; Diabetes |
Licht, Jonathan | M.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor & Director, UF Health Cancer Center | Hematology & Oncology | Lab | Medicine | DNA Damage & Repair; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Genetic Determinants of Cancer; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Leukemia; Lymphoma |
Wang, Gary | Ph.D, M.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor & VA Section Chief | Infectious Disease | Medicine | Bioinformatics; Gene Therapy; Liver | |
Bennett, Richard | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Research Assistant Professor | Hematology & Oncology | Medicine | Apoptosis & Cell Death Pathways; Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Immunoregulation & Suppression; Leukemia; Lymphoma; Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation; RNA Processing; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions | |
Bloom, David | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Medicine | Epigenetics & Cancer; Oncolytic Viral Vectors; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions | |
Renne, Rolf | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor & Associate Director | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Lab | Medicine | Noncoding RNAs; Cell Signaling Pathways; Lymphoma; Skin/Melanoma; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions |
Tibbetts, Scott | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Lab | Medicine | Virology/Virus-Host Interactions; Noncoding RNAs; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Immunotherapy; Infection Control; Leukemia; Lymphoma; MicroRNAs; Stem Cell; Tumor |
Wu, Lizi | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Medicine | Apoptosis & Cell Death Pathways; Breast; Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Noncoding RNAs; Drug Design; Epigenetics & Cancer; Gynecological; Leukemia; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions | |
Zhou, Lei | Ph.D, BMed | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Medicine | Apoptosis & Cell Death Pathways; Bioinformatics; Cancer Genetics; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Genetic Determinants of Cancer; Radiation Oncology; Senescence; Genetic Cancer animal models | |
Guryanova, Olga | M.D, Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Pharmacology & Therapeutics | Medicine | Cancer Genetics; Cancer Susceptibility; Cell Signaling Pathways; DNA Damage & Repair; Drug Resistance; Epigenetics & Cancer; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Leukemia; Stem Cell | |
Srivastava, Arun | Ph.D, BSc, MSc | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Division Chief & Professor | Pediatric Research | Lab | Medicine | Gene Therapy; AAV Biology; Liver; Stem Cell; Targeted Cancer Therapy; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions |
Zolotukhin, Sergei | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Pediatric Research | Lab | Medicine | AAV Biology; Cancer Gene Therapy |
Jin, Lingtao | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Anatomy & Cell Biology | Medicine | Drug Resistance; Metastasis; Nutrition; Dietary Supplements & Cancer | |
Makki, Nadja  | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Anatomy & Cell Biology | Lab | Medicine | Epigenetics & Gene Regulation |
Caglayan, Melike | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Lab | Medicine | Chemotherapy; DNA Damage & Repair; DNA Replication; Drug Design |
Qian, Zhijian | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Medicine - Hematology & Oncology | Medicine | Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Drug Resistance; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Stem Cell | |
Zhang, Weizhou | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Associate Professor | Pathology, Immunology & Laboratory Medicine | Medicine | Angiogenesis; Breast; Immunoregulation & Suppression; Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy | |
Bhaduri-McIntosh, Sumita | Ph.D, M.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Chief & Associate Professor | Pediatrcs-Infectious Diseases | Medicine | Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; DNA Damage & Repair; DNA Replication; Epigenetics & Cancer; Epigenetics & Gene Regulation; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Tumor Virology/Virus-Host Interactions | |
Fredenburg, Kristianna | Ph.D, M.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Pathology | Medicine | Head & Neck; microRNAs; cancer disparities | |
Kaye, Frederic | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) & Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response (CTHR) | Professor | Hematology & Oncology | Medicine | Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; Genetic Determinants of Cancer; Head & Neck; Lung; Thoracic Oncology; Oncolytic Viral Vectors | |
Daaka, Yehia | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Anatomy & Cell Biology | Medicine | Androgen receptors; Human pathophysiology receptors | |
Schmittgen, Thomas | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Chair & Professor | Pharmaceutics | Lab | Pharmacy | Cancer Genetics; Drug Design; Gastro-Intestinal; Head & Neck; Health Disparities; Liver; MicroRNAs; Nanotechnology |
Li, Chenglong | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Medicinal Chemistry | Pharmacy | Cell Signaling Pathways; Drug Design; Drug Resistance; Epigenetics & Cancer; Hematologic Malignancies/Blood & Marrow Transplant; Immunotherapy; Neuro-Oncology; Pediatric Oncology; Stem Cell; Targeted Cancer Therapy | |
Zhou, Daohong | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Pharmacodynamics | Pharmacy | Drug Design; Cell Signaling Pathways |
|
Datta, Susmita | Ph.D., MBA, M.S. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Biostatistics | Public Health & Health Professions | Bioinformatics; RNA processing | |
Michailidis, George | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Informatics Institute | Public Health & Health Professions | Bioinformatics and Biostatistics |
|
Bacher, Rhonda | Ph.D | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Biostatistics | Public Health and Health Professions | Bioinformatics; Biostatistics | |
Guan, Juan | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Physics | Liberal Arts & Sciences | Cancer Genetics; Cell Signaling Pathways; DNA Damage & Repair; Drug Design; Nanotechnology | |
Eddy, Matthew | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Chemistry | Liberal Arts & Sciences | ||
Ma, Zhe | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Assistant Professor | Molecular Genetics and Microbiology | Lab | Medicine | |
| McKenna, Robert >  | Ph.D. | Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) | Professor | Biochemistry and molecular Biology | Lab | Medicine | Targeted Cancer Therapy; Gene Therapy; Oncolytic Viral Vectors |