To take a leading role in conquering cancers in our time.

Faculty Scientists

The Johnson Cancer Center is proud of the multidisciplinary approach to cancer research that makes the most of the knowledge and talents of numerous scientists across the K-State campus. Below is a list of our affiliated scientists and their areas of study.

Dr. Christer Aakeröy

Chemistry – Studies chemical approaches to maximize the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs.


Dr. Ahlam Al-Rawi

Chemistry – Studies modeling peptide nano vesicles capable of delivering chemotherapeutics to cancer cells.


Dr. Laura Armbrust

Clinical Sciences – Studies the diagnostic imaging features of various naturally occurring cancers in animals.


Dr. Katsura Asano

Biology – Studies the control of protein synthesis and the alterations in gene expression that can lead to cancer.


Dr. Alexander Beeser

Biology – Studies the p21-activated kinases (Paks) in order to identify small molecule inhibitors of their function.


Dr. Frank Blecha

Anatomy & Physiology – Studies innate immune responses important to cancer.


Dr. Stefan Bossmann

Chemistry – Studies potential photodynamic anticancer agents.


Dr. Susan Brown

Biology – Studies genes important to normal development and cancer.


John W. Carlin

Leadership Studies – Studies leadership skills to improve citizen access to cancer services.


Dr. Stephen Keith Chapes

Biology – Studies macrophages and other inflammatory cells.


Dr. Jianhan Chen

Biochemistry – Studies computer modeling of disordered proteins in cell signaling and cancer.


Dr. Viktor Chikan

Chemistry – Studies treatment of cancers with magnetic nanoparticles.


Dr. Rollie Clem

Biology – Studies regulation of cell death.


Dr. Abigail Conrad

Biology – Studies genes involved in the formation of cell coverings in tissues that do and do not form cancers.


Dr. Gary Conrad

Biology – Studies cell pinching during cell division and cell interactions with extracellular matrix in development and cancer.


Dr. Christopher Culbertson

Chemistry – Studies signal transduction pathways (i.e. kinase cascades) in single cells to better understand how misregulation of these pathways results in the development of various cancers.


Dr. Rob Denell

Biology – Studies genes important to both development and cancer.


Dr. Walter Dodds

Biology – Studies nitrate and drinking water quality.


Dr. Sherry Fleming

Biology – Studies complement activation and regulatory proteins and innate immune molecules.


Dr. Roman Ganta

Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology – Conducts molecular evaluation of how host cell biology is modified by pathogens.


Dr. Lynn Hancock

Biology – Studies the mechanisms of pathogenesis for the opportunistic bacterial pathogen, Enterococcus faecalis


Dr. Mark Haub

Human Nutrition – Studies antioxidants, phytochemicals, and exercise in prevention and treatment of chronic disease.


Dr. Michael Herman

Biology – Studies cell development and polarity.


Dr. Mary Lynn Higginbotham

Clinical Sciences – Studies the diagnosis and treatment of feline lymphoma as well as clinical trials involving treatment of cancer in animals.


Dr. Daniel Higgins

Chemistry – Studies the use of multiphoton methods to trigger anticancer drugs.


Dr. Duy Hua

Chemistry – Performs synthesis and bio-evaluation of new anti-cancer agents.


Dr. Takashi Ito

Chemistry – Studies new techniques for sampling biomarkers for cancer diagnosis.


Dr. Ryszard Jankowiak

Chemistry – Studies carcinogenic activity of metabolites formed from estrogens and/or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.


Dr. Michael Kanost

Biochemistry – Studies immunological mechanisms relevant to human cancers.


Dr. Jun Li

Chemistry – Studies nanotechnology for early cancer diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring.


Dr. Dingbo Lin

Human Nutrition – Studies phytochemicals in prevention of leukemia which may lead to development of efficient, low cost, and long-term safe dietary regimens to the community.


Dr. Brian Lindshield

Human Nutrition – Studies the potential of dietary compounds or supplements to decrease prostate tumor growth.


Dr. Max Lu

Geography – Studies geographic differentials in cancer incidence and mortality rates using spatial statistics and geographic information systems (GIS) technology.


Dr. Ron Madl

Grain Sciences & Industry – Studies the identification and isolation of phytochemical components from cereal grains and processing co-products.


Dr. Dudley McCaw

Clinical Sciences – Studies treatments of cancer in pets, and protein changes that occur in dogs with lymphoma.


Dr. Tonatiuh Melgarejo

Human Nutrition – Investigates the role of host defense peptides, and their clinical application in treating infectious disease and inflammatory disorders.


Dr. Kristin Michel

Biology – Studies serpin function in mosquito-transmitted malaria, and potential relationship to human cancer.


Dr. Beth Montelone

Biology – Studies genes involved in DNA repair in yeast whose counterparts help prevent cancer in humans.


Dr. S. Muthukrishnan

Biochemistry – Studies functions of genes involved in exoskeleton synthesis and turnover.


Dr. Annelise Nguyen

Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology – Studies the regulation of gap junction in colon cancer cells.


Dr. Lorena Passarelli

Biology – Studies viral transcription and genome replication and its links to cancer.


Dr. Jean-Pierre Perchellet

Biology – Conducts preclinical development of novel synthetic classes of anti-cancer drugs.


Dr. Om Prakash

Biochemistry – Studies anticancer agents using multidimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and computer aided molecular modeling.


Dr. Sundeep Rayat

Chemistry – Studies synthesis and biological evaluation of novel DNA cleaving agents.


Dr. Gerald Reeck

Biochemistry – Studies a protein correlated with several human cancers.


Dr. Thomas Roche

Biochemistry – Studies killing cancer cells by altering their energy metabolism.


Dr. Dorith Rotenberg

Plant Pathology – Studies anti-viral defense pathways.


Dr. Thomas Schermerhorn

Clinical Sciences – Studies cellular secretion and protein movement in normal and cancer cells.


Dr. John Schlup

Chemical Engineering – Studies improving boron neutron capture therapy by enhanced targeting of the cancer cells


Dr. Kathrin Schrick

Biology – Studies interactions of lipids/sterols and regulatory proteins that are key to cell division and development.


Dr. Bruce Schultz

Anatomy & Physiology – Studies hormone-induced changes in epithelial function.


Dr. Teresa Shippy

Biology – Studies genes important to normal development and cancer.


Dr. Robert Szoszkiewicz

Physics – Studies force-dependent molecular mechanisms of cancers and uses nanolithography techniques in cancer detection.


Dr. Dolores Takemoto

Biochemistry – Studies role of anti-oxidants in cancer prevention.


Dr. Larry Takemoto

Biology – Studies anti-oxidant enzymes in the cell.


Dr. Masaaki Tamura

Anatomy & Physiology – Studies role of angiotensin II signaling in lung and colon cancer formation and chemoprevention.


Dr. Xiaoyan Tang

Plant Pathology – Studies programmed cell death and cancer.


Dr. John Tomich

Biochemistry – Conducts biochemical studies of cellular constituents important to cancers.


Dr. Deryl Troyer

Anatomy & Physiology – Studies umbilical cord matrix stem cells as a potential therapy for degenerative diseases and cancer.


Dr. Tonia Von Ohlen

Biology – Studies genes important to nervous system development and cancer.


Dr. Lei Wang

Anatomy & Physiology – Studies treatment of malignant gliomas with stem cell transplantation.


Dr. Weiqun (George) Wang

Human Nutrition – Studies cancer prevention by dietary calorie restriction, exercise and plant chemicals.


Dr. Philine Wangemann

Anatomy & Physiology – Studies fluid homeostasis and blood flow regulation in the inner ear.


Dr. Qize Wei

Biochemistry – Studies the mechanism of cell division and its relationship to cancer.


Dr. Mark Weiss

Anatomy & Physiology – Studies the potential use of stem cells for gene delivery vehicles, especially to brain tumors.


Dr. Ruth Welti

Biology – Studies the roles of lipid signaling and lipid metabolism in cancer.


Dr. Anna Whitfield

Plant Pathology – Studies virus entry and cellular response to viral infection.


Dr. Samantha Wisely

Biology – Studies cytokine functions important to cancer in non-model species.


Dr. Anna Zolkiewska

Biochemistry – Studies cell-cell interactions and communications in cancer.


Dr. Michal Zolkiewski

Biochemistry – Studies role of anti-oxidants in cancer prevention.


Wildcat Challenge

SUNNY 102.5 and COACH BILL SNYDER urge you to join them this football season in the challenge to help K-State cancer researchers tackle cancer!



To further the understanding of cancers by funding basic cancer research, and supporting higher education, training, and public outreach.

Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research | 1 Chalmers Hall | Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS 66506
Phone: 785.532.6705 | marcia@ksu.edu | Copyright © 2009 Center for Basic Cancer Research