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Mission Statement

The Center for Engineering and Cancer (CEC) is redefining the fight against cancer by uniting diverse scientific disciplines to drive groundbreaking innovation. In close partnership with the Moores Cancer Center, the CEC champions collaborative research that seamlessly integrates engineering principles with cancer biology and clinical medicine. This bold initiative is designed to pioneer transformative advancements across critical areas, including immunotherapy, molecular and cellular engineering, genetic and epigenetic engineering, advanced biomaterials, nanotechnology, novel focal ablation therapies, systems biology and medicine, biomedical imaging, and cutting-edge medical device development. These efforts aim to revolutionize cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.  Read more

Members

CEC Members 

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Adam Engler

Professor, Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, UCSD

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Dan Kaufman

Professor, School of Medicine, UCSD

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Drew Hall

Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UCSD

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Hojun Li

Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, UCSD

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Ida Deichaite

Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, UCSD

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Isabel Newton

Professor, Department of Radiology, UCSD

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Jesse Jokerst

Professor, Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, UCSD

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Jing Yang

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, UCSD

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Jon Pokorski

Professor, Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, UCSD

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Joseph Wang

Professor, Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, UCSD

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Judy Varner

Professor, Department of Pathology, UCSD

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Michael Liss

Professor, Department of Urology, UCSD

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Nicole Steinmetz

Professor, Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of
Chemical and Nano Engineering, UCSD

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Sandip Patel

Professor, School of Medicine, UCSD

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Shankar Subramaniam

Professor, Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, UCSD

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Shaochen Chen

Professor, Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, UCSD

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Shu Chien

Professor, Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, UCSD

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Stephanie Fraley

Associate Professor, Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, UCSD

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Rebekah White

Professor, Department of Surgery, UCSD

Research Focus

The CEC (Center for Engineering and Cancer) will harness the synergy between diverse scientific disciplines to innovate in the fight against cancer. Partnering closely with Moores Cancer Center, this initiative emphasizes collaborative research integrating engineering principles with cancer biology and clinical medicine. The CEC aims to pioneer advances in various high-impact areas such as biomedical imaging, genetic and epigenetic engineering, molecular and cellular engineering, advanced biomaterials, nanobiotechnology, systems biology and medicine, and the development of medical devices. These efforts are directed towards improving prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.

The CEC's focus on translational research underscores its commitment to bridging laboratory discoveries with clinical applications. By collaborating with clinical experts and industry partners, the center seeks to accelerate the development of innovative cancer therapies and technologies. Additionally, the CEC is dedicated to educating the next generation of researchers, offering graduate students the opportunity to train across multiple disciplines, thus expanding their expertise and preparing them for future challenges in cancer research and treatment.

The establishment of the CEC, championed by Moores Cancer Center Director Scott Lippman, M.D., reflects a strategic move to leverage multidisciplinary approaches in tackling one of the most pressing health challenges of our time. This initiative not only promises to advance scientific knowledge and clinical practice but also aims to create a robust pipeline of skilled researchers equipped to lead the future of cancer research and therapy.

Research Papers and News Articles

Center Related Research Papers and News Articles

Support Their Research

Transforming cancer immunotherapy using a harmless plant virus

Our technology has generated cures in canine cancer patients, now is the time to bring these concepts to human cancer patients!

Join fellow UC San Diego alumni, students, parents and friends by making an online gift through the Triton Giving Fund. Interested in visiting our UC San Diego lab or discussing additional ways you can personally help to advance this transformative cancer immunotherapy toward a phase 1 clinical trials? Please contact our Jacobs School Development Officer Adrienne M. Bolli, Senior Director of Development today. 

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