Newswise — PHILADELPHIA—Thomas Jefferson University welcomes two new, seasoned clinicians and researchers to its Department of Radiation Oncology: Nicole Simone, M.D., from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Bo Lu, M.D., Ph.D, from Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Simone is a board-certified Radiation Oncologist who has treated mostly patients with breast and head and neck cancers, while her research involves radiation’s effect on microRNAs in breast cancer and caloric restriction and radiation therapy—and the ability of both to delay breast cancer tumor growth.
A principal investigator for an NCI randomized trial, Dr. Simone recently presented data at the 2010 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on a study that looked at early breast cancer with mastectomy versus breast conservation therapy. The results showed no difference in overall survival between the two methods 25 years after diagnosis.
“Dr. Simone is rapidly being recognized as one of the rising stars in the field,” said Adam Dicker, M.D, Ph.D, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology. “Her research cuts across a number of cutting edge fields, including breast and prostate cancer biology, metabolism, microRNAs and computational biology. The connection between diet and cancer treatment is very relevant for patients.”
Dr. Simone received her medical degree from the New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ, in Newark, N.J., and her bachelor of science in engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her medical residency in radiation oncology at the NCI from 2004 to 2008, and more recently was an Assistant Clinical Investigator at the NCI.
“I’m looking forward to the collaboration,” Dr. Simone said. “There are a lot of people on campus who are great for that, including Dr. Isidore Rigoutsos, the director of the newly-formed Center for Computational Medicine.”
Dr. Bo Lu is also a board-certified Radiation Oncologist who comes to Jefferson from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where he was an Ingram associate professor with tenure in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Cancer Biology of the University’s School of Medicine. He was also an attending radiation oncologist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, member of the Ingram Cancer Center, and director of the Translational Research Program and Lung Cancer Research Program.
Dr. Lu received his Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Baylor School of Medicine in Houston and his Doctorate in Medicine from Shanghai Medical University in China. Dr. Lu completed his residency in radiation oncology at the University of Southern California, School of Medicine.
“I am delighted that Dr. Lu has joined our faculty,” said Dr. Dicker. “He is internationally renowned for his work in clinical and translational radiation oncology, and I have received numerous congratulatory calls and emails from Chairs of Departments of Radiation Oncology around the world recognizing his numerous achievements.”
Dr. Lu’s focus is on radiation-induced cell death in lung patients, among other basic science areas. His clinical interests include the integration of novel targeted agents in the treatment of lung cancer, radiosurgery for lung cancer, and reduction of toxicities from thoracic radiation. More recently, Dr. Lu has looked at cancer stem cells for enhancing radiotherapy in a setting of lung cancer.
“Jefferson has been a leader in doing clinical studies in radiation oncology; it’s a tradition here. And Dr. Dicker has done tremendous work looking at profiles of novel agents in the lab,” Dr. Lu said. “I am looking forward to teaming up with him on the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and translating our lab research to improve outcomes for lung cancer patients.”
Dr Lu also serves as director for the Molecular Radiation Biology Division at Jefferson. At Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Lu is a professor of Radiation Oncology and Dr. Simone is an assistant professor of Radiation Oncology.
Editor’s note: Dr. Bo Lu resides in Philadelphia, Pa., and Dr. Nicole Simone resides in Mount Laurel, N.J.
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