Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center
New York City, NY

T.J. Martell Annual Summary

Columbia University Medical Center
Principal Investigator: Mitchell C Benson, M.D.

Co-Investigators:
Cory Abate-Shen, Ph.D.

Carlos Cordon-Cardo, M.D., Ph.D.

Cathy Mendelsohn, Ph.D.

The Columbia University Department of Urology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital offers world-class programs in basic science and translational research and unsurpassed clinical care.  The research programs focusing on understanding the origins of prostate and bladder cancers are under the leadership of Cory Abate-Shen, Ph.D., Carlos Cordon-Cardo, M.D., Ph.D. and Cathy Mendelsohn, Ph.D.  The theme of our clinical care is to employ minimally invasive surgical interventions (robotic and laparoscopic surgery) without any compromise in cancer control while demonstrating unsurpassed compassion.

Mitchell C. Benson, M.D.

Mitchell C. Benson, as chair of the Department of Urology at Columbia University has coordinated the recruitment and integration of the basic science researchers into the Department of Urology and fostered their study of prostate and bladder cancer.  Under his leadership, the Department is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top Urology programs in the United States and the premier program in New York. 

The clinical vision and focus has been to utilize minimally invasive surgery without compromising cure.  In 2010, it is a rare patient who still requires open surgery for the treatment of prostate, bladder and kidney cancer.  The outcomes of patients treated at Columbia University Medical Center – New York Presbyterian Hospital are unsurpassed anywhere in the world!

Cory Abate-Shen, Ph.D.

The research in Dr. Abate-Shen’s laboratory is aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying cancer development using genetically-engineered mouse models. The laboratory has developed cutting-edge models of prostate and bladder cancer and have used these models to decipher the molecular mechanisms involved in disease progression, as well as to develop new approaches for the prevention and treatment of these debilitating cancers.

In particular, studies in the Abate-Shen laboratory have identified two signaling pathways that are responsible for hormone-refractory prostate cancer, the most deadly form of the disease and have shown that inactivation of these pathways blocks tumor growth. These studies have paved the way for important new clinical trials for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

In addition, the Abate-Shen laboratory has developed novel models of invasive bladder cancer and is using these models to understand how this deadly disease arises and to develop new therapeutic treatments.

Carlos Cordon-Cardo, MD, PhD

Dr. Cordon-Cardo and members of his lab are using innovative approaches and cutting-edge technologies to investigate how mutations of critical genes influence the development and progression of bladder and prostate cancer.

Dr. Cordon-Cardo has pioneered a “systems biology” approach to identify genetic alterations in cancer, and has used this approach to uncover the significance of specific mutations (p53, Rb, and the Pten pathway) for progression of bladder and prostate cancer. Their innovative studies have led to the development of promising new clinical studies aimed at bladder preservation and therapeutic targeting. In their most recent studies, the Cordon-Cardo laboratory have linked discrete mutations in adult stem cells with the development of prostate cancer, making the important observation that certain tumors originate from distinct stages in stem cell development.

Cathy Mendelsohn, Ph.D.

Developmental defects of the genitourinary tract are among the most common developmental anomalies in infants.  Studies in the Mendelsohn laboratory are focused on understanding how the lower urinary tract develops. The urothelium is a specialized epithelium lining the lower urinary tract extending from the renal pelvis to the bladder. This specialized epithelium is crucial for barrier function and is also likely to be a source of progenitors that give rise to bladder carcinoma. Our studies are aimed at identifying progenitors that normally give rise to the basal, intermediate and umbrella cells of the normal urothelium and in collaboration with Dr. Abate Shen's group, we will extend these studies to identify urothelial progenitors that give rise to bladder cancer.