Krishna vanaja V. Donkena, Ph.D.

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SUMMARY

My long-term research interest includes use of translational approach to develop new effective therapies for treating castration-resistant locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer. My research interests focus on integrative medicine which combines mainstream medical treatments and alternative therapies that have scientific evidence behind safety and efficacy for improved patient care results and experiences. We are using in vitro and in vivo lab-based models to understand the mechanism of complimentary therapies to overcome chemo-resistance. My other research interest includes identification of DNA methylation biomarkers as novel effective indicators to distinguish different histological subtypes to predict aggressive disease. We are using high-throughput technologies to analyze multi-gene and multi-CpG biomarkers in biopsy samples, serum DNA and tumor tissues of prostate cancer patients to improve the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis and prognosis. Our study will reveal the cancer sub-type specific molecular changes associated with cancer progression. Identification of specific methylation patterns in the primary prostate cancer tissues will be able to predict the recurrence of cancer patients who may not respond to androgen deprivation therapy and are at a potential risk of metastatic spread. This is a necessary step towards the goal of predictive medicine, to identify patients with aggressive tumors who need additional treatments to prevent life threatening events.