Advancing our Understanding of Cancer
UK RESEARCHERS PAVE THE WAY
FOR NEW CANCER TREATMENTS
As a comprehensive cancer center, basic research is critical to our approach to understanding cancer. Discoveries made in the lab provide the building blocks for breakthroughs and innovations in cancer treatment. Researchers at the University of Kentucky and the UK Markey Cancer Center are at the forefront of groundbreaking discoveries in lung, colorectal and many other cancers.
“Basic research is the driving force behind any new treatment option,” said Tianyan Gao, PhD, associate director for basic research at Markey. “We have to understand the basic mechanisms of tumor initiation and progression for us to develop new treatments.”
Markey lab scientists work hand-inhand with clinical scientists to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and patient care. This collaboration allows them to identify promising research findings that can be turned into clinical trials, ultimately leading to new treatments for cancer patients.
NCI Grants Awarded to Study Lung Cancer
UK researcher Houfu Guo, PhD, received a $2.6 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to study a newly discovered enzyme linked to lung cancer growth. Guo is an assistant professor in the UK College of Medicine’s Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department.
The five-year grant will allow his lab to delve deeper into the role of this enzyme, which his recent research shows, plays a key role in allowing lung cancer cells to spread. Guan-Yu Xiao, PhD, an assistant professor in the UK College of Medicine, will use an early career grant of $747,000 from the NCI to investigate the cellular processes that drives lung cancer to spread to other parts of the body.
Lung adenocarcinoma is a common form of lung cancer with limited treatment options. The cancer often stops responding to treatments or spreads. Xiao’s lab identified a protein that plays an important part in this process. By targeting the protein, researchers may be able to develop new drugs to prevent the cancer from spreading.
Colorectal Cancer Alliance Awards
Grant to UK Researcher
Yekaterina Zaytseva, PhD, received a grant from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to test new drug combinations for colorectal cancer. The two-year grant is one of the first five grants given by the alliance to speed up the development of new treatments for colorectal cancer.
By identifying effective drug combinations, Zaytseva hopes to improve patient outcomes and bring lifesaving therapies to Markey. Zaytseva, an associate professor in the Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, also studies how environmental toxins contribute to high rates of colorectal cancer in Appalachian Kentucky.
Liver Cancer Researcher Receives
Young Investigator Award
Robert Helsley, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, recently received the prestigious Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) for his outstanding contributions to lipid research.
Helsley’s findings on the link between fatty acid metabolism and liver cancer could shed light on new treatment targets for liver cancer. He will present his latest findings at the ASBMB annual meeting.
RESEARCHERS HONORED
WITH MARKEY WOMEN STRONG GRANTS
Two UK Markey Cancer Center researchers investigating treatments for breast and stomach cancer received $50,000
Markey Women Strong research grants. Markey Women Strong is a philanthropic program of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Foundation that supports women-led cancer research. The program is in its eighth year and has awarded over $800,000 in grants. Member philanthropists are men and women who contribute $1,000 annually. A group of past grant recipients peer reviews the initial applications.
The 2025 Markey Women Strong Distinguished Researchers are:
- Mautin Barry-Hundeyin, MD, a surgical oncologist whose research focuses on how a type of white blood cell called macrophages influences the development and progression of stomach cancer
- Kathleen O’Connor, PhD, who is researching better ways to use chemotherapy to cure triple negative breast cancer, which is aggressive and often hard to treat
Markey Women Strong members actively participate in selecting grant recipients by reviewing applications, hearing presentations from applicants and voting on the most promising research projects.
“Markey Women Strong encourages female cancer researchers at all levels of their career across the institution,” said Michael Delzotti, CFRE, FAHP, President and CEO of the UK Markey Cancer Foundation. “It’s an incredibly rewarding experience for our members to be part of this process.”
