The Laboratory of Quantitative Cancer Research’s clinical research portfolio focuses on the ability to translate the latest laboratory research findings into his clinical practice. Their clinical research is focused on two main areas of study.
The first is focused on a method for delivering treatment to the brain, typically difficult due to a natural barrier between the blood and the brain. Through their research, they have found a laser that will get through the barrier and deliver immunotherapy and chemotherapy to the tumor.
The second is to develop new effective therapies, including precision therapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy using viruses for some of the most difficult to treat cancers including malignant brain tumors and high-risk breast cancer.
In collaboration with his clinical and basic science colleagues, Dr. Tran is the principal investigator or study chair of several investigator-initiated phase I and phase II studies. These studies focus on 1) laser interstitial therapy combined with chemotherapy or immune checkpoint blockade and tumor treating fields in the treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent malignant brain tumors, and 2) targeted therapies to eliminate dormant metastatic cells in patients with high-risk breast cancer.