Derek C. Radisky

Dr. Derek C. Radisky is a Professor of Cancer Biology and Chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at Mayo Clinic. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. His research focuses on cancer development, with particular emphasis on breast and lung cancers, aiming to reduce cancer incidence and improve therapeutic outcomes while addressing racial disparities in outcomes.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Pathology, University of Utah
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• B.S. in Chemistry, University of Utah

Research Interests:

• Breast cancer risk and prevention via analysis of benign breast tissue cohorts
• Racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes, particularly among African American/Black women
• Role of matrix metalloproteinases in cancer progression and therapeutic targeting
• Development of bioengineered 3D cell culture models to study tumor microenvironment interactions

Collaborations: Works with colleagues such as Amy C. Degnim, Mark E. Sherman, Michele Cote, and Evette S. Radisky on projects including biomarker discovery and lung disease therapies.

Grants & Projects: Active grants include Targeted Prevention of Postpartum-Related Breast Cancer and Proteolysis in ARDS. He leads projects on involution-based biomarkers and lung fibrosis mechanisms.

Labs: Directs the Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory, investigating early cancer development and metastasis through microenvironmental signals.