Research Faculty
One of the world’s most prominent and innovative researchers in diagnostic imaging and contrast media holds the Stefanie Spielman Chair in Cancer Imaging. Michael Tweedle, PhD, joined the OSUCCC – James as a professor of radiology and director of the Imaging Agents Laboratory for the Wright Center for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging in 2009.
Translational Research
The Stefanie Spielman Breast Cancer Cohort and Tissue Bank is a significant vehicle for the Spielman Fund’s investment in research that has applications to disease treatment and cures. Among the more than 20 studies in leading medical journals by Ohio State researchers who used tissue samples from this resource was a multi-team study that appeared in Cancer Research in 2020 exploring how certain growth factor signaling promotes breast cancer brain metastasis.
Clinical Research
Support for innovative clinical trials improves patient lives through supportive care research, outcome research and dietary intervention studies such as:
Liquid biopsy for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: Drawing from plasma samples in the Spielman-funded metastatic cohort study, Daniel Stover, MD, has built on his earlier work using liquid biopsies to profile cancer genomes from blood and predict outcomes for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). That study suggests that minimally invasive liquid biopsies could be used as a new predictive marker for metastatic TNBC. Although TNBC represents 10-15% of all breast cancer diagnoses, the disease is responsible for 35% of all breast cancer-related deaths. Exciting follow-on studies are underway at the OSUCCC – James benefiting from Spielman Fund support, Dr. Stover’s leadership and his laboratory team.
Preventing chemotherapy-induced neuropathy: A phase Ib study of the safety and mechanics of an agent called nilotinib in preventing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with breast cancer.
Laser intervention for vaginal dryness: Novel laser therapy intervention for patients on antiestrogen therapies experiencing significant vaginal dryness.
Equipment for Research and Patient Care
The Spielman Fund’s purchase of the VisioPharm® artificial intelligence platform has significantly expanded digital pathology research. VisioPharm® is a powerful tool that utilizes deep learning artificial intelligence to solve complex image analysis problems. It has broad research application and is used across multiple OSUCCC – James research centers. Ohio State pathologists are validating its application for clinical use in assessing certain breast cancer biomarkers. The computer program improves patient care by making biomarker assessment more objective, precise and reproducible.
Educational Fellowships
Ohio State’s Breast Medical Oncology Fellowship program is one of only a few in the country that offer physicians specialized training in breast medical oncology. Six of the program’s seven graduates have gone on to faculty positions in academic breast medical oncology programs dedicated to breast cancer research and patient care. Dionisia Quiroga, DO, PhD, and Jasmine Singh Sukumar, MD, are the current trainees in this program.