Channing J. Der

Channing J. Der, PhD, is a Kenan Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research focuses on elucidating the molecular basis of cancer, particularly through the study of Ras and Rho small GTPase signaling pathways.

Dr. Der's research program centers on understanding the molecular basis of human carcinogenesis, with three major areas of focus: deciphering Ras signal transduction pathways, investigating Rho family proteins in oncogenesis, and developing drug discovery approaches targeting Ras for cancer treatment. His lab has established the importance of aberrant Rho family GTPase activation in human oncogenesis and determined that Ras utilizes multiple signaling pathways beyond the ERK MAPK cascade to mediate oncogenesis in human cells.

Analysis of Dr. Der's recent publications reveals a strong focus on KRAS-mutant cancers, particularly pancreatic cancer. His work spans from fundamental molecular mechanisms to translational therapeutic approaches, with significant contributions to understanding KRAS signaling, resistance mechanisms to targeted therapies, and novel combination treatment strategies. The research demonstrates increasing sophistication in targeting previously 'undruggable' RAS proteins.

Dr. Der leads an active research group that collaborates with other prominent labs including those of Cox, Bryant, Pylayeva-Gupta, and Yeh. His team regularly participates in pancreatic cancer awareness initiatives and collaborates with patient advocacy groups like the KRAS Kickers. The lab has successfully mentored numerous students including Amber Amparo and Jane Ye Sol Lee who have completed their theses under his guidance.

Through his extensive publication record spanning over two decades, Dr. Der has made significant contributions to our understanding of Ras signaling in cancer, with particular emphasis on pancreatic cancer. His work bridges basic science and therapeutic development, with recent research focusing on overcoming resistance to KRAS inhibitors and developing novel combination therapies for KRAS-mutant cancers.