Caius G. Radu, M.D.
- Professor, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology
Research Areas
Caius G. Radu, M.D., explores the complex interactions between cancer and immune cells to improve treatments for cancers, particularly those of the pancreas and prostate. Radu also leverages this knowledge to develop new diagnostic approaches that use molecular imaging and metabolic biomarkers.
Utilizing advanced positron emission tomography, or PET, and mass spectrometry platforms, Radu is making strides in the fields of metabolomics, proteomics and phosphoproteomics. His work has notably contributed to the clinical translation of new PET probes for nucleotide metabolism and the development of a first-in-class/first-in-human compound targeting a metabolic kinase, which has recently entered Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.
A significant portion of Radu’s research is dedicated to the immunobiology of pancreatic and prostate cancers. In this area, he is actively identifying potential immunometabolic checkpoints that are linked to different signaling pathways. These checkpoints present opportunities for pharmacological and immunological interventions, potentially revolutionizing treatment approaches for these challenging malignancies.
Research Projects
- Developing novel mRNA cancer vaccines and therapeutics
- Discovering new approaches to modulate the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer and other difficult -to-treat malignancies
- Accelerating therapeutic development by identifying molecular imaging and metabolic biomarkers to advance the understanding of pancreatic and prostate cancers
Education
Post-doctoral fellowships
- Cancer Biology, UCLA, 2006
- Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 2001
Degree
- M.D., University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania, 1993
