Defining the Biology of Cancer-Associated Muscle Dysfunction Across Human and Animal Models
Body
Goal: Understand how cancer and its treatments impair muscle health, function, and recovery.
Description: Our lab uses complementary human and preclinical models to investigate the biological, structural, and mechanical drivers of muscle dysfunction across the cancer continuum. By combining innovative human muscle biopsy platforms with mechanistic animal studies, ex vivo muscle mechanics, computational pathology, and multi-omics, we identify how cancer alters skeletal muscle from molecular pathways to whole-body function. This translational strategy allows us to discover mechanisms, validate clinically relevant targets, and bridge laboratory findings directly to patient care.
Precision Phenotyping, EHR-Enabled Cohorts & Biomarker Discovery
Body
Goal: Identify who is at risk, why they decline, and who will respond to intervention.
Description: We leverage integrated EHR-based databases from both the cancer center and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to study large, clinically rich populations alongside deeply phenotyped prospective human cohorts and animal models. By combining real-world clinical data with tissue biology, circulating biomarkers, imaging, body composition, and functional outcomes, we define biologically meaningful subtypes of cancer-associated muscle dysfunction. This multi-scale approach enables longitudinal tracking, predictive modeling, and biomarker discovery that can improve diagnosis, risk stratification, and personalized supportive care.
Precision Rehabilitation & Exercise as Therapy
Body
Goal: Transform rehabilitation into a biologically informed treatment strategy.
Description: Our lab integrates EHR-driven clinical insights, human rehabilitation trials, and mechanistic animal studies to determine how exercise, rehabilitation, and multimodal supportive care influence muscle biology and functional outcomes. By pairing rehabilitation interventions with biological and clinical data, we study exercise not only as treatment, but as a tool to reveal mechanisms of resilience and recovery. Our goal is to develop precision rehabilitation strategies that preserve muscle health, improve treatment tolerance, and enhance long-term cancer outcomes.