Todd Pitts, PhD

Specialty

GI cancers- Developing novel anti-cancer therapies for GI cancers

Location

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology

Objective

Our lab seeks to develop predictive biomarkers and rational combination partners pathway dependencies in GI cancer.

Development of Novel Therapeutics and Combination Therapies

These studies in the Pitts lab are geared towards the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat GI cancers, including colorectal and pancreatic cancers. We utilize genome-wide screens using novel genetic methods to identify genes whose inhibition will synergize with current targeted therapeutics to eliminate GI cancer cells. Our screens have identified several genes that synergistically inhibit colorectal cancer cell growth in combination with clinically used targeted inhibitors, and these genes have been validated as therapeutic targets by using both pharmacological and genetic approaches.

Current Projects

Currently the lab has been focused on targeting metabolic pathways in conjunction with targeted agents. In addition, the lab utilizes humanized mouse models to test immune-checkpoint inhibitors to help identify patients that will respond to these new/novel agents.

Description

Students will participate with others in the lab and at lab meetings. He/She will work under the guidance of senior lab members. He/She will work with samples from mice or humans, mostly using cell culture models. He/She will present experimental results to the lab and the Cancer Center poster session.