Wing C. (John) Chan, M.D.
___________
Professor of Pathology
Co-Director, Center for Lymphoma
and Leukemia Research
University of Nebraska Medical Center
“I am glad that advocacy groups for lymphoma patients and charities such as the Lymphoma Foundation of America exist to support lymphoma research. It is an honor to receive these grants, and I sincerely thank all the volunteers and donors who have contributed so much to this effort. The money will be used solely for research in lymphoma. I hope that our research will significantly improve the survival and quality of life of all lymphoma patients.
“My main interest is in the pathobiology and pathogenesis of lymphomas. In collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, Stanford University, British Columbia Cancer Agency, SWOG, and a number of European institutions, we are examining the gene expression profiles of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Our data have shown that it is possible to delineate clinicopathologic subtypes of NHL by gene expression profiling. These early data also indicate that it is possible to define molecular prognosticators that are independent of the current clinical predictors for survival.
Our long-term goal is to identify genes that are critical in determining the clinical and biologic behavior of the different subtypes of lymphoma. We will continue to build and refine molecular prognosticators based on our findings. Some of these genes may be important targets for the development of novel therapy for lymphoma. My laboratory is also developing RNAi technologies to screen for targets that are important for tumor cell growth and survival in MCL. This effort will complement the expression profiling studies in identifying targets for therapy.
“I am also actively engaged in the development and refinement of molecular assays in the diagnosis of lymphomas and leukemias, in the detection of minimal residual disease after treatment, and in delineating the relationship between various types of malignant lymphomas.
“We are entering an era when scientific investigation has tremendous potential to improve our understanding and treatment of lymphoma. However, funding for research is very tight and only one out of six applications from highly qualified investigators will receive funding from the NIH. Many excellent research projects will not be carried out because of shortfall in research funds. Private donations now play a critical role in ensuring that innovative ideas will be pursued for the benefit of our patients.
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