DCP Early Career Scientist Spotlight Research Seminar Series (Upcoming Research Talks)

Exploring chemoprevention strategies for bladder cancer interception
Venkateshwar Madka, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Preclinical Bioassay Director, Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

Dr. Madka is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma HSC and Experimental Bioassays Director at the Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development (CCPDD), Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City. Dr. Madka earned his PhD from the Osmania University, India then received his postdoctoral training in Cancer Chemoprevention at the University of Oklahoma HSC, USA. His research is focused on urinary bladder cancer prevention using chemo- immune- prevention strategies. Using carcinogen induced and transgenic rodent models he investigated several potential chemopreventive candidates and published 42 peer-reviewed articles and reviews. He also made over 65 presentations at various national and international scientific meetings, some of which have received travel awards. Notably he is recipient of AACR Scholar-in-Training Award in Memory of Dr. Lee W. Wattenberg. He is Co-I and Co-PI on several NCI funded grants. His other research interests include inflammation, vaccines, bioactive compounds, and early detection.

Abstract:
Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed neoplasms, with an estimated half a million new cases and 200,000 deaths per year worldwide. Men have a 3-4 times higher risk of developing bladder cancer than women. Cigarette smoking and exposure to chemicals such as aromatic amines, and aniline dyes have been known risk factors for BC. Although most of the patients are diagnosed at non-invasive disease stage, frequent recurrence, lack of response to currently used BCG therapies results in disease progression to invasive disease and metastasis. Therefore, our major focus has been to develop small molecule agents for interception of this deadly disease. Using various preclinical models of BC, we have evaluated agents targeting various mechanisms such as inflammation, cell survival and hormone receptor signaling pathways etc. Some of these repurposed agents have demonstrated significant preventive efficacy against BC progression in preclinical stage and warrant further evaluation.