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Graham Barnard, Ph.D.,M.D.
Academic Role: Associate Professor
Faculty Appointment(s) In:
Gastroenterology
Medicine
Other Affiliation(s):
Cancer Center
Molecular biology of gastrointestinal malignancies
 We are addressing three general research areas:
- The molecular events which are important in the initiation and progression of carcinoma in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. We have been studying differential gene expression at the mRNA level between human tumors, premalignant tissues and their corresponding normal tissues. We have isolated a range of gene products which are differentially expressed either more in the tumors or more in the normal tissues consistent with functions as potential oncogene or tumor suppressor gene products. We have investigated roles for some of these products as markers of tumor aggressiveness, cloned and expressed several new human gene products and are pursuing the functional characterization of a potential new human cytokine in carcinoma models. At the protein level we are analyzing the clinical utility of two potential serum markers of early colorectal carcinoma;
- The application of molecular biology techniques, such as RT-PCR, to early tumor detection and staging and the concept of sentinel lymph node spread of disease. These methods are adapted to materials of interest in gastrointestinal and other malignancies such as pancreatic juice, bile, stool, lymph nodes and gastric secretions, and have been applied to more sensitive staging of these malignancies;
- Inflammatory markers in hepatitis C viral infection. We are combining histologic, molecular biologic and immunopathologic methods to decipher which cytokines are most important in the inflammatory and fibrotic response of the human liver to hepatitis C infection and the response of the patient to treatment.
Clinical interests include gastrointestinal malignancies and screening and the porphyrias.
Phone: 508-856-1874
E-mail: Graham.Barnard@umassmemorial.org
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55 Lake Avenue North Worcester, MA 01655