Research | Salami Lab

Background

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in American men and it is the second leading cancer related death in the United States. Every year nearly  270,000  men are diagnosed and 35,000 men die from the disease. Alarmingly Black/American men face 2- 3 times higher death than European American men, which highlight the disparities in outcome.

Research Gaps and Challenges

There is considerable uncertainty about how low-grade prostate cancer develops over time, how it may progress to more aggressive forms and if the aggressive forms arise from the low grade. The role of active surveillance in managing this disease is important as the current clinical approaches might lead to overtreatment in some men.

Our Approach and Goals

Our research aims to address these critical gaps by uncovering the biological mechanisms driving prostate cancer and refining surveillance strategies. We are focused on identifying markers of disease progression, improving diagnostic and prognostic tools, and ensuring people receive care that is both effective and appropriate to their level of risk.

Impact and Vision

By improving our understanding of prostate cancer biology and surveillance, we hope to reduce unnecessary treatments, ease the burden of care, and improve both outcomes and quality of life for men. Our work is also committed to reducing racial disparities in prostate cancer by developing more equitable and personalized care strategies.

Overview and Clinical Challenges

Kidney cancer is a complex disease that can behave differently in each patient. Our research looks at how kidney cancer develops and changes over time. By studying the behavior of the cancer cells and how they interact with their environment, we aim to understand what causes some tumors to become more dangerous or resistant to treatment.

Research Focus and Strategy

To address these challenges, our research centers on studying advanced laboratory models that closely replicate the complexity of human kidney tumors. These models have diverse cell types, genetic mutations, and interactions with the microenvironment, allowing us to better understand how kidney cancer behaves.

Goals and Innovation

Our goal is to identify the mechanisms that drive kidney cancer growth and resistance to treatment, We aim of developing more effective, targeted therapies and also explore novel therapeutic approaches that go beyond current standards of care.

Patient-Centered Impact

By combining scientific innovation with a strong focus on patient needs, our research seeks to change the way kidney cancer is treated. We are working on solutions that improve survival, quality of life, and bring hope to patients facing this difficult condition.

We use cutting edge technologies to find how cancer behaves on a detailed level, this helps us learn more about how the tumours grow, how they interact with the immune system and how they respond to different treatments. These tools help us discover new ways to detect cancer accurately and early.

Our research is focused to change the way kidney cancer is treated and to deliver solutions that might increase survival and quality of life for patients.