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Jay Vadgama Ph.D.,
Professor of Medicine at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
and at the David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine. Recently, he was appointed
Associate Vice President for Research and Health Affairs at CDU where he is
working to strengthen clinical, basic, and translational research/programs
and integrate them with academic programs across campus. Dr. Vadgama is the
Chief of the Division of Cancer Research and Training, Director for Center
to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities, and Director of Molecular Oncology
Program. He serves as the Associate Director at the CDU site of the Clinical
and Translational Scientific Award grant (CTSA). He holds the Endowed Chair
for Cancer Research, and is the Director of the Cancer Cluster at CDU. At
the request of the University president and deans, Dr. Vadgama has
represented the University at several national forums on minorities and
cancer and serves in an advisory capacity to the president and deans for
directing cancer initiatives at CDU and in partnership with UCLA.
Research
Experience:
Dr. Vadgama has extensive experience in conducting oncology research that
integrates clinical, basic, and community-based research. The outcome of
these efforts has resulted in the development of translational cancer
research at CDU.
Research programs in his division focus on: 1) genetics and epigenetics; 2)
identification of cellular/molecular markers, and novel genes for early
detection, prevention and management of breast, colorectal cancer, and
prostate cancers; 3) mechanisms associated with bone metastasis from breast
cancer; 4) role of mismatch repair proteins and microsatellite instability
in colorectal cancer in minority populations; 5) identification and
characterization of normal and cancer stem cells in breast and prostate
cancers that contribute to drug resistance; 6) cancer outreach and
prevention studies.
He has been a
recipient of numerous extramural grants. Recent examples include: 1)
Identification of novel biomarkers associated with risk for bone metastasis
from breast cancer (NIH/NCI CA15083-25S3); and 2) Role of Mismatch Repair
Proteins and Microsatellite Instability in Colorectal Cancer in African
American and Hispanic patients (CA 15083-25S3). Currently, he is principal
investigator of several center grants in cancer at CDU in partnership with
UCLA: 1U54CA143931 and 1U56 CA101599-01 from NCI/NIH, programs funded to
enhance cancer research infrastructure at CDU and to establish a Center to
Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities. He is also PI of the DOD BC043180
grant, a program funded by the Department of Defense to develop a center of
excellence in breast cancer research, education, and treatment at CDU. Dr.
Vadgama has extensive collaborations with renowned cancer investigators at
UCLA, Cedars, Harbor-UCLA, and some international groups. Currently, he is
working on multiple grants with collaborators at UCLA and NYU to develop
breast cancer studies which target triple-negative breast cancers.
Other Professional
Experience:
On a national level, Dr. Vadgama serves as reviewer for grants submitted to
the NIH, DOD, VHA, and EPSRC. Dr. Vadgama also serves as an international
reviewer for grants, such as for the French NCI (Institut National du
Cancer, INCa). Dr. Vadgama is a reviewer for 14 peer-reviewed journals, for
example: Clinical Cancer Research; Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer
Therapeutics, Current Cancer Therapy Reviews; Journal of Biological
Chemistry; International Journal of Cancer; American Journal of Physiology;
Journal of Cell Biology; Journal of Cellular Biochemistry; etc; and is on
the editorial board for several journals. Dr. Vadgama has participated at
national and international cancer meetings as chair, co-chair and invited
honorary and keynote speaker.
Teaching and
Training Experience:
Dr. Vadgama has extensive experience in training minority and non-minority
students in clinical and basic research. He was funded for many years with
the 1R25DK067015 NIDDK grant, a program that provided opportunity for
undergraduate minority students to be trained in biomedical research. This
program is now superseded by a five year funded program in Cancer Education
and Training focused on cancer health disparities. Dr. Vadgama and his team
have developed successful teaching and training programs for: undergraduate,
medical, masters, and nursing students, as well as clinical residents,
postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty from CDU, UCLA, and other
Universities. His division conducts weekly “Research- in-Progress” and
Journal Club meetings, in addition to monthly seminars with visiting
speakers, and workshops. Dr. Vadgama continues to serve as mentor and thesis
advisor for Master’s students and Medical students. In addition, he has
served as PhD thesis advisor for international students and is working with
CDU to develop an integrated PhD program at CDU.
Mentoring
Experience:
Dr. Vadgama has had the opportunity to mentor over 30 postdoctoral fellows,
eight clinical fellows, 12 residents, seven medical students (mostly
minority), >60 undergraduate students across the nation, and >40 high school
students (mostly minority). Dr. Vadgama continues to serve as a mentor for
several funded junior faculty at CDU and the UCLA School of Medicine. In
addition, he mentors several minority students from schools such as CDU,
UCLA, UCI, UCR, CSUDH, USC, and others. |
