Project Investigator Biography

Jaydutt Vadgama Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science 1731 E. 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059 phone: (323) 563-4853 fax: (323) 563-4859 email: javadgam@cdrewu.edu

Dr. Vadgama is Professor of Medicine, at the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, and UCLA School of Medicine. He is also the Chief of the Division of Cancer Research and Training, and Director of Molecular Oncology Program in the Department of Internal Medicine at Charles Drew University (CDU). Dr. Vadgama holds the Endowed Chair for Cancer Research, and is the Director of the Cancer Cluster at CDU. Dr. Vadgama has represented the University at several national forums on minorities and cancer. He has also chaired internal committees at CDU and Martin Luther King Junior-Multi Service Ambulatory Care Center (formerly known as the King-Drew Medical Center), which establishes state-of-the-art cancer research, treatment, education and training and outreach programs.

Dr. Vadgama has successfully developed several partnership programs with his UCLA, Cedars, and other colleagues and has been a recipient of numerous extramural grants including grants in Cancer at CDU from NCI/NIH. The success of his NCI PACHE partnership grant has allowed him to obtain additional funding from the Department of Defense to develop a center of excellence in breast cancer research, education, and treatment at CDU. Through the Minority Cancer Center Partnership, Dr. Vadgama has had the opportunity to train more than 25 postdoctoral fellows, 8 clinical fellows, 12 residents, 7 medical students (mostly minority), 40 undergraduate students across the nation, and 35 high school students (mostly minority) to conduct cancer health disparities research.

Dr. Vadgama has extensive experience in conducting oncology research that integrates clinical, basic and community-based investigations. The outcome of these efforts has resulted in the development of translational cancer research focused in cancer health disparities research. At present, this research program focuses in the following areas: 1) Identification of novel biomarkers associated with risk for bone metastasis from breast cancer in African American and Hispanic patient population; 2) Role of the IGF-I axis in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers; 3) HER2/neu mediated pathogenesis of breast cancer; 4) IGF1, IGFBP3, and Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and their association with breast and colorectal cancers in minority populations; 5) Elucidating epigenetic mechanisms in breast, colorectal and prostate cancers; 6) Identification of cellular and molecular markers for early detection, prevention and management of breast, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancers; and 6) Role of Signal Transduction Pathways in Cancer; and 7) Role of Mismatch Repair Proteins and Microsatellite Instability in colorectal cancer.

Dr. Vadgama obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees at University of London, England; and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan under Professor Halvor Christensen. He joined UCLA School of Medicine as Assistant Professor in 1986 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1992. He was recruited to Charles Drew University in 1992 as Director of Laboratory Research and Development.