FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTORY

Nancy Zeleznik-Le, PhD

Chair, Cancer Biology
Professor, Cancer Biology; Medicine
nzelezn@luc.edu   CBCC 337

Research Interests

• MLL leukemias
• Hematopoiesis
• Chromatin-mediated gene regulation and epigenetics

Muna Aryal, PhD

Assistant Professor, Engineering and Radiation Oncology
CBCC 209
maryal@luc.edu 
Lab: 708-327-3137

Research Interests:

• Non-invasive, Targeted Brain Drug Delivery
• Transcranial Focused Ultrasound
• Nanoparticle
• Brain Cancer
• Neuroscience

Maurizio Bochetta, PhD

Associate Professor, Cancer Biology,
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
mbocche@luc.edu
CBCC 204
Office: 708-327-3362

Research Interests:

• OTUD6B deubiquitinase
• MYC oncogene
• Lung adenocarcinoma

Weihang "Valerie" Chai, PhD

Professor, Cancer Biology
vchai@luc.edu   CBCC 236

Research Interests

• Genomic stability, DNA replication and repair
• Telomere maintenance
• Carcinogenesis

Mitchell Denning, PhD

Professor, Cancer Biology; Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Interim Chair, Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience
Graduate Program Director, Biochemistry & 
Molecular Biology Program
mdennin@luc.edu   CBCC 237

Research Interests

• Keratinocyte biology
• Ultraviolet radiation induced skin carcinogenesis
• Protein kinase C

 Andrew Dingwall, PhD

Professor, Cancer Biology; Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Associate Director, MD/PhD Program
adingwall@luc.edu   CBCC 334

Research Interests

• Chromatin remodeling
• COMPASS methyltransferase complex
• Epigenetic gene regulation
• Enhancer control in development and cancer

Sean W. Fanning, PhD

Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology
sfanning@luc.edu   CBCC 203

Research Interests

• Breast cancer
• Nuclear receptors
• Drug resistance
• Structure-based drug discovery

Kimberly E. Foreman, PhD

Associate Professor, Cancer Biology
kforema@luc.edu   CBCC 235

Research Interests

• Viral oncology
• Medical education
• Education outcomes

 Charles Hemenway, MD, PhD 

Professor, Pediatric Hematology / Oncology;
Cancer Biology
Director, MD/PhD Program
chemenway@luc.edu   CBCC 202

Research Interests

• MLL leukemias
• Normal hematopoiesis
• Epigenetics 

Irida Kastrati, PhD

Assistant Professor,  Cancer Biology
ikastrati@luc.edu   CBCC 233

Research Interests

• Breast cancer
• Endocrine therapy resistance and recurrence
• Identification of new therapeutic targets

Steven Kregel, PhD

Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology
skregel@luc.edu     CBCC 205

• Prostate Cancer and Urologic Research
• Androgen Receptor Signaling
• Hormone Therapies and Resistance
• Tumor Immune Microenvironment

Phong T. Le, PhD 

Professor, Microbiology & Immunology;
Cancer Biology
ple@luc.edu   CBCC 304

Research Interests

• T-cell development
• Thymic epithelial cell biology
• Exosomes

Michael Nishimura, PhD

Professor, Surgical Research; Cancer Biology
Associate Director, Cancer Center Translational Research
Program Director, Immunologic Therapeutics
mnishimura@luc.edu   CBCC 301

Research Interests

• Tumor Immunology
• Immunotherapy

Clodia Osipo, PhD 

Associate Professor, Cancer Biology;
Microbiology & Immunology
cosipo@luc.edu   CBCC 238

Research Interests

• Breast cancer
• Cancer stem cells
• Notch signaling

Wei Qiu, PhD

Associate Professor, Cancer Biology; Surgical Research
wqiu@luc.edu   CBCC 338

Research Interests

• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Tumor cell signaling pathways
• Mechanisms of therapeutic resistance in HCC
• Alcoholic liver disease

Jiwang Zhang, MD, PhD

Professor, Cancer Biology; Radiation Oncology
jzhang@luc.edu   CBCC 336

Research Interests

• Hematopoiesis
• Stem cell self-renewal
• Bone marrow microenvironment and cell signaling

EMERITUS FACULTY

Manuel Diaz, MD 

Professor Emeritus, Cancer Biology
mdiaz2@luc.edu   CBCC 333

Research Interests

• MLL and MLL fusion proteins
• Leukemogenesis

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Ash Bindra, MBA

Administrative Director     

abindra1@luc.edu|
CBCC 201

Sue Niccolai

Administrative Assistant II    

sniccol@luc.edu 
CBCC 300

Lorelei Martin

Administrative Assistant II

lhachol@luc.edu
CBCC 339