Our Science – Cao Website

Liang Cao, Ph.D.

Genetics Branch Staff Scientist (Facility Head) National Cancer Institute Bldg. 37, Rm 6134 Bethesda, MD 20892-1906 Phone:   301-435-9039 Fax:   301-402-0172 E-Mail:   CAOLI@MAIL.NIH.GOV

Biography

Dr. Cao received his Ph.D. from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Harvard University in 1991. Subsequently, he was a Damon Runyon Cancer Research Fellow with Dr. Ed Harlow at the Cancer Center of Massachusetts General Hospital. He has managed research and drug discovery operations in academic and industry labs for 15 years. He is an inventor of over 40 US patents and published pending patents that resulted in novel diagnostics, drug discovery products, and therapeutic molecules in clinical trials.

Research

The newly established Molecular Targets Core currently develops technologies and assays that allow investigators to examine the effects of drugs on intended targets and their associated pathways, as well as relevant biomarkers that are indicative of biological responses to the treatment. The Core has expertise in the following areas that are available to the clinical investigators:
1. Assay development and validation. The Core utilizes highly sensitive immunoassays, many of them based on a unique electrochemiluminescence technology that provides superior sensitivity, specificity, dynamic range and throughput needed for the analysis of clinical specimens. There are a range of biomarker assays available for cell proliferation, tumor angiogenesis and apoptosis.
2. Clinical investigation and correlative studies with biomarkers. The Core has the ability to collect and process specimens, to perform test, and to analyze data for selected biomarkers and biological endpoints. The Core has a number of engagements on current clinical trials at NCI.
3. Mechanistic investigations into the mechanism of action of the investigational drugs. The Core is currently focusing on several investigational agents and new drugs on their effects on cell proliferation and tumor angiogenesis.

This page was last updated on 9/11/2008.