Gary S. Stein, Ph.D.
The Gerald L. Haidak, MD and Zelda S. Haidak Distinguished Professor and Chair of Cell Biology, UMass Memorial Cancer Center of Excellence

One of the most eminent and widely respected scholars in the field of cancer biology and treatment, Gary S. Stein, Ph.D. is the new interim director of the UMass Memorial Cancer Center. The Gerald L. Haidak, MD and Zelda S. Haidak Distinguished Professor and Chair of Cell Biology, Stein assumed the title of Deputy Director of the Cancer Center six years ago. Stein is also the co-author of the newly published "The Biology and Treatment of Cancer".

From the preface of "The Biology and Treatment of Cancer"…"We, our friends and families, like too many others, have experienced cancers of various kinds. Some patients recovered, but sadly, many died. From these trying events and from our professional studies as cancer researchers, we decided that a source which briefly summarizes our current knowledge about cancer and its treatment in nontechnical language would be useful."

That empathy as a long-time survivor, along with his vast knowledge of cancer biology has been translated into the current path for the UMass Memorial Cancer
Center.

According to Stein, "We are at a very important juncture, living in an age where there is a lot of understanding about genes, proteins and cancer cells. We are learning so much about cancer not just as a disease, as a whole class with abnormal cell division as a feature. We are taking that information to detect and treat the disease. In the future, it is our hope that we won’t even have to totally cure cancer but instead allow patients to live symptom free in much the same way that we control other disorders. That is the direction that the cancer center is going, from the bench to the bedside."


Current Advances impacting on cancer diagnosis and therapy include:

• Paradigm-shifting strategies for prostate cancer therapy based on targeting integrated gene regulatory networks
  
  
• A new dimension to breast imaging that enhances detection and localization of early stage tumors
  
  
• Development of drugs that selectively prevent survival of cancer cells
  
  
• Enhanced capabilities for bone marrow transplantation based on new insight into stem cells
  
  
• Models for pancreatic cancer that provide opportunities to develop capabilities for early stage diagnosis
  
  
• A combined chemotherapy/surgery procedure for advanced stage cancer
  
  
• A novel strategy for radiation treatment that is faster, more comfortable and more precise in targeting tumors
  
  
• Discovery of gene expression signatures associated with breast and prostate tumor metastasis to bone
  
  
• Clinical trials with participation by all components of the UMass Memorial Healthcare System