Why do some people develop metastatic disease while others do not?
Breast cancer is a deadly disease because no one fully understands how it spreads through the body.
Our lab is creating better experimental models that reveal how cancer cells metastasize and evade our immune system. We use these models to develop new drugs that engage our immune system to kill cancer cells.
Our Vision
Create new organoid-based models that capture dynamic interactions between immune cells and metastatic cancer cells.
Understand how do cancer cells corrupt natural killer cells to promote metastatic growth in distant organs.
Develop new immunotherapies to treat patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Patient Advocates
We are committed to partnering with patients. Our team includes not only clinicians, scientists and trainees, but also patient advocates who are full members of the lab and equal contributors to our work. Actively partnering with patients lets us make meaningful and impactful discoveries that can end metastatic disease as we know it.
Lab Values
We are serious about the science and serious about supporting each other as a team. When we come from a place of trust and respect, we can challenge each other to bring our best science forward. We believe by creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment we can maximize each individual’s potential for scientific discovery.
Come join our team!
We're part of the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas!
A 21-pipette salute for valued members of the lab
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Isaac Chan, M.D., Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
A fancy pen enthusiast
Faculty Profile -
Mark Mondress, R.N.
Clinical Nurse
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Meng Cao, M.D.
IM Resident, UTSW
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Hannah Chang
Med Onc Fellow, UTSW
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Flavia Soares Fernandez
Medical Student, UTSW
Conquer Cancer Medical Student for Underrepresented Populations -
Caroline Hauer
Laboratory Assistant
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Ruchita Iyer
Medical Student, UTSW
Photographer who can wiggle her ears. -
Jon Ladner
Medical Student, UTSW
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Katherine Lake
Medical Student, UTSW
Carolyn L. Kuckein Research Scholar -
Mir Lim, M.D.
IM Resident, UTSW
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Kenneth Algarin
Perot Family Scholar MSTP Student, UTSW
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Sakshi Mohta
Undergraduate, UTD
SURF Scholar -
Sarah Reddy
IM Resident, UTSW
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Venkata Repaka
Undergraduate, UTD
Green Fellow -
Blake Schwettmann
Graduate student, UTSW
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Rina Sridharan
Lab manager
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Clayton Smith
Medical Student, UTSW
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Isabella Terrazas
Graduate student, UTSW
Vastedda enthusiast, CPRIT Trainee -
Joi Terry
PB2PHD Student, UTSW
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Giselle Uwera
Medical Student, UTSW
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Lily Xu
Medical Student, UTSW
SABCS 2022 Clinical Scholar, Dean’s Research Scholar
Lab Successes!
Publication Highlights
Publication Highlights
Thank you to our donors for enabling us to end cancer as we know it!
With your support, we can develop new treatments for patients with metastatic cancer. 100% of your donations will go towards funding our research to end cancer as we know it. All contributions to Dr. Isaac Chan’s lab are tax-deductible under section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (UT Southwestern’s EIN is 75-6002868). You can make your donation online; for Designation, please select ‘Other’ and enter “Isaac Chan Research”.
You can also mail a check to:
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Office of Development
PO Box 910888
Dallas, Texas 75391-0888
Please designate Isaac Chan Research on the check.