Channing Der

Channing Der is the Sarah Graham 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 Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which aberrant Ras and Rho small GTPase signaling promote cancer growth, with the long-term goal of developing targeted inhibitors for cancer treatment.

Dr. Der's laboratory investigates mutationally activated Ras proteins, which are found in 30% of all human cancers and drive oncogenesis in pancreatic, colon, lung, and skin cancers. His team studies deregulated signaling pathways including Raf-MEK-ERK and PI3K-AKT-mTOR cascades using patient tumor-derived xenografts (PDX), organoid cultures, and mouse models. The lab applies chemical and genetic functional screens, gene expression analysis, protein kinase activation, and phosphoprotein profiling to identify novel therapeutic strategies for blocking mutant RAS in cancer treatment.

Analysis of Dr. Der's recent publications reveals a strong focus on KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer, with emphasis on combination therapeutic strategies targeting multiple signaling pathways. His research spans from basic molecular mechanisms of Ras signaling to translational studies evaluating novel drug combinations for clinical application, particularly focusing on overcoming resistance to KRAS inhibitors through approaches like TEAD inhibition and PIKfyve targeting.

Dr. Der has mentored numerous students including Jane Ye Sol Lee (who defended her doctoral thesis on 'Inhibiting KRAS and the DNA damage response in pancreatic cancer'), Amber Mercedes Amparo (who completed senior honors thesis research), and Jonathan DeLiberty (a graduate student presenting on autophagy inhibition in pancreatic cancer). His laboratory actively participates in pancreatic cancer awareness initiatives, including wearing purple during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and participating in events like PurpleStride. The Der Lab also hosts visits from patient advocacy groups such as the KRAS Kickers, demonstrating their commitment to connecting research with patient impact.