Keith Syson Chan

Dr. Keith Syson Chan is a translational cancer researcher at Houston Methodist Research Institute. He serves as Director of Translational Research in the Department of Urology and Program Lead of Innovative Therapeutics at the Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center. His work bridges tumor microenvironment biology with immunotherapeutic strategies.

• Director of Translational Research, Department of Urology
• Program Lead of Innovative Therapeutics, Neal Cancer Center

Research Focus: Dr. Chan investigates non-classical mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, particularly how extracellular matrix dynamics, stromal-tumor interactions, and PGE2 signaling drive metastatic colonization and immune evasion. His work explores converting immune-excluded tumors into inflamed phenotypes through iDAMP blockade.

Key Research Themes:

• Tumor microenvironment modulation
• Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as a mitogenic and immunosuppressive signal
• Quiescent cancer stem cell activation
• Immune checkpoint sensitization in chemoimmunotherapy

Recognition & Funding:

• Established Investigator Recruitment Grant from CPRIT

Current Initiatives: Dr. Chan's lab is translating preclinical findings into early-phase clinical trials targeting immunosuppressive pathways in bladder cancer and other solid tumors.