When Cancer Therapy Meets Cardiac Protection

   Modern medicine faces an increasingly clear challenge: how to maximize the effectiveness of cancer treatment while minimizing long term damage to the heart? As cancer survival rates continue to rise, more patients enter prolonged follow up and survivorship phases. In this context, treatment related cardiovascular complications have become a major determinant of prognosis and quality of life. Cardio-Oncology has emerged in response to this need, with the central goal of balancing effective tumor control with preservation of cardiac function.

Our laboratory focuses on integrated research spanning molecular mechanisms, organ level function, disease models, and clinical translation. Through this framework, we aim to develop safer and more sustainable therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.

Research Focus One: Overcoming Therapeutic Resistance Through Precision Combination Strategies

A central clinical challenge in oncology is drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Even when initial responses are favorable, many tumors eventually adapt and reemerge, leading to treatment failure.

Our research addresses how cancer cells evade cytotoxic stress by activating DNA damage response and repair networks. We place particular emphasis on recurrent glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and treatment resistant human malignancies.

By integrating boron neutron capture therapy BNCT with targeted modulation of DNA repair pathways, we aim to weaken tumor defense systems, prolong disease control, and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Research Focus Two: Developing Cardiac Protection Strategies for Long Term Cancer Survivors

Many chemotherapeutic and targeted agents are associated with cardiac adverse effects, including cardiomyocyte injury, arrhythmias, and heart failure. Clinical evidence indicates that for some cancer survivors, cardiovascular disease ultimately poses a greater mortality risk than cancer recurrence itself.

This research direction follows a dual track approach.

First, we systematically dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying therapy induced cardiotoxicity, with a focus on cardiomyocyte apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupted energy metabolism.

Second, we identify and validate cardioprotective agents that can mitigate irreversible cardiac damage without compromising anticancer efficacy, enabling patients to safely complete intensive treatment regimens.

Key Research Platform: Translational Studies Driven by Zebrafish Models

Zebrafish in vivo models form a central pillar of our research program. Zebrafish share highly conserved cardiovascular regulatory pathways with humans and possess a remarkable capacity for adult heart regeneration.

Using cardiac injury and drug induced toxicity models, we can directly observe dynamic processes of cardiac damage and repair in living organisms. This platform allows rapid functional assessment of cardioprotective strategies and provides mechanistic insights relevant to human heart repair and regeneration.

Our Vision

Our long term vision is to build a seamless bridge from fundamental discovery to clinical application.

   To prevent cancer from recurring through therapeutic resistance
   To ensure the heart is not the cost of effective cancer treatment
   To help patients not only live longer, but live better

If you are curious about questions such as
    How tumors survive and evolve under therapeutic pressure?
   Whether the heart can be shielded from chemotherapy induced injury?
   How regenerative biology in zebrafish may inform human medicine?

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Welcome to join us in exploring and defining the future directions of cardio-oncology research.