Experimental Therapeutics Program

Overview | Leaders | Research | Publications | Resources | Members

 

Program Leaders

Giuseppe Giaccone, MD, PhD
Associate Director for Clinical Research
Director of Clinical Research, MedStar Health Cancer Network's Washington Region

Giuseppe Giaccone, MD, PhD, is an internationally recognized expert in the field of lung cancer and developmental therapeutics. Dr. Giaccone received his M.D. cum laude from the University of Torino Medical School in 1980, followed by training in clinical oncology and internal medicine, which he completed at the University of Torino in 1988. He spent the next two years in the NCI's Medical Oncology Branch under the direction of Dr. John Minna. Following his training at the NCI, Dr. Giaccone received his Ph.D. from the Vrije University Medical Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He served as a senior medical oncologist at the Medical Center from 1990 to 2000, when he was appointed Professor of Medical Oncology. Dr. Giaccone became Head of the Center's Department of Medical Oncology in 2003.

He played a major role in the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), serving as a member of the EORTC's Lung Cancer Cooperative Group since 1982 and as its Chair from 1993 to 2000. During his leadership of this Group, Dr. Giaccone led several major clinical studies focusing on lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Dr. Giaccone was appointed Chief of the Medical Oncology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research of the National Cancer Institute in April 2007. During his presence at NCI Dr. Giaccone helped restructure the intramural medical oncology and clinical trial organization. He developed cutting edge clinical, basic and translational research in the field of thoracic malignancies. In January 2013 he joined the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, Washington DC as the Associate Director for Clinical Research and the Director of Clinical Research for the MedStar Health Cancer Network's Washington Region.

Dr. Giaccone has published more than 500 peer-reviewed papers and contributed to more than 30 book chapters.

 

Anton Wellstein, PhD
Professor of Pharmacology and Oncology
Associate Director for Basic and Translational Science Research

Anton Wellstein, PhD, serves as Associate Director for Basic and Translational Science Research. He is senior investigator in the Departments of Pharmacology and Oncology (tenured Professor). He trained first as an MD and then extensively in Pharmacology in Germany (1980-87) and has extensive experience in dose-response analysis of drug efficacy from that training. He published a number of well-recognized papers on cardiovascular regulation in humans using receptor subtype selective beta-adrenoceptor blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors as well as M1- and M2-receptor antagonists. During the past decade, his work focused on tumor/stroma interactions in particular mechanisms of angiogenesis through growth factors, with a major interest in the function and regulation of the activity of FGFs. His laboratory is focused on molecular and biochemical signal transduction mechanisms in vitro as well as in transgenic animals. Beyond basic research he has had a keen interest in taking laboratory discoveries to the clinic both in developing targeted therapies and new approaches to the understanding cancer treatment efficacy and resistance.