Benbrook Lab
Our objective is to develop drugs that prevent and treat cancer without causing side effects. We study cancer cells become addicted to proteins and processes that can sustain their excessive growth. In healthy cells these proteins and processes are only upregulated during times of stress.  They return to normal levels after the stress is cleared.  If these proteins are elevated for too long, they start a natural form of cell suicide to prevent cancer.  Cancer cells develop tricks to get around this impediment and avoid natural cell suicide.  We are discovering and developing natural products and drugs that interfere with these proteins and processes that protect cancer cells.  These investigational drugs kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells because the cancer cells are addicted to the drug targets, while the healthy cells are not.  Our lead compound called SHetA2 and also OK-1 and NSC 721689 is currently being studied in in a first-in-human Phase 1 Trial of SHetA2 in Patients With Advanced or Recurrent Cancer: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04928508 A comprehensive review of SHetA2 drug discovery and development is published at this link: SHetA2 Attack on Mortalin and Colleagues in Cancer Therapy and Prevention
Our Team-Based Approach
We use a team-based approach to accomplish much more than we could do as individuals. We share ideas, efforts, space, equipment and resources.
	PhD Graduate Students: Justin Garland, BA Laura Mortan, BS James Lausen, BS Postdoctoral Fellow: Zitha Isingizwe, PhD Clinical Fellows: Jacqueline Bohn, MD Grace Duininck, MD	Vishal Chandra, PhD Assistant Professor  Postdoctoral Fellow: Dhanamjai Dey, PhD	Rajani Rai, PhD Research Assistant Professor Postdoctoral Fellow: Debasish Dey, PhD	Bethany Hannafon, PhD Assistant Professor Graduate Students: Cole Hladik, BS Maitreyee Das, BS Postdoctoral Fellow: Samrita Dogra, PhD Research Assistant: Sugantha Priya Elayapillai, PhD
Principal Investigator Doris Mangiaracina Benbrook, PhD Presbyterian Health Foundation Presidential Professor Click the links below for more information: Curriculum vitae OK-1 (SHetA2) Drug Facebook Page Interview