Sara Rockwell, PhD
Professor, Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Pharmacology
Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs
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sara.rockwell@yale.edu Phone: 203.785.2963 Appt Phone: Fax: 203.785.7482 Yale University School of Medicine Department of Therapeutic Radiology Room 213E HRT P.O. Box 208040 New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8040 |
Degrees/Education:
B.S., The Pennsylvania State University (1965)
Ph.D., Stanford University, Biophysics (1971)
Damon Runyon Memorial Fund Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University (1971,72,74)
Attache de Recherche, Institut de Recherche de Radiobiologie Clinique, Institut Gustave Roussy (1973)
Faculty Appointments:
Assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Therapeutic Radiology (1974-78)
Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Therapeutic Radiology (1978-84)
Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Therapeutic Radiology (1984-Present)
Director of the Yale University School of Medicine’s Office of Scientific Affairs (2001-2008)
Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs (2008-present)
Certifications/Honors:
CURE Award, Connecticut United for Research Excellence
John Yuhas Award for Outstanding Research in Radiation Biology, presented by The University of Pennsylvania
Virginia Logan Lectureship. Presented by the Department of Radiation Oncology and Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Medical College, for contributions in the Field of Tumor Biology
Elected to Membership in the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (2007)
Clinical Interests:
Collaboration in the design and development of clinical trials resulting from research in our laboratory. Participation in the Activities of the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation that support Clinical and Translational research at Yale.
Research Interests:
Microenvironmental Heterogeneity in Solid Tumors
Experimental Cancer Therapy
Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation
Effects of Hypoxia and low pH
My research focuses on laboratory studies aimed at improving our understanding of the biology of solid tumors and improving the treatment of cancer. Several different projects related to these broader goals are ongoing in the laboratory.
Some projects study the microenvironmental heterogeneity within solid tumors and explore the effects of these heterogeneous and often unphysiologic environments on the biology of tumor cells and of the stromal elements within solid tumors. From the time they are microscopic, solid tumors contain regions of severe hypoxia, unphysiologically low pH, and nutrient deprivation. As these tumors grow, they induce angiogenesis, but the vascular beds that develop within tumors are abnormal in both structure and function. The microenvironmental inadequacies within solid tumors have profound effects on cell physiology, altering the proliferation patterns of the cells, the metabolic pathways used by the cells, the ability of the cells to tolerate stress, DNA damage, and other injuries, and the response of the cells to radiation and to antineoplastic drugs. We are examining these alterations and studying their implication for the development and progression of solid tumors. We are also working to develop therapeutic strategies which use our knowledge of the metabolic features of these cells improve to cancer therapy. In a collaborative project headed by Dr. Peter Glazer we are examining the effect of the adverse environments within solid tumors on gene expression, mutation rates, and DNA repair. The findings from this project suggest that the environmental stress developing within tumors early in their development may lead to the development of genomic instability and genetic heterogeneity in malignancies. One long-term project examines the metabolism, cytotoxicity, and therapeutic use of bioreductive alkylating agents which are selectively activated to toxic species by cells that are hypoxic.
Other projects in the laboratory are examining ways to improve cancer therapy. These include collaborative studies with Dr. Ravinder Nath on new isotopes and regimens for use in brachytherapy. We are also studying approaches which may modulate blood flow and oxygen delivery within solid tumors, and thereby alter the response of the tumors to radiation and to chemotherapy. Other studies are examining the potential value of new compounds being developed for use in cancer therapy, either as chemotherapeutic drugs or as adjuvants to radiotherapy.
Another series of studies is examining the role of nutrition and other lifestyle factors in the development, progression, and therapy of cancer. One series of studies has been examining the implications of subclinical vitamin A deficiency in determining the sensitivity of the lung to radiation injury and in altering the pattern of lung metastases.
Another series of ongoing studies is examining the effects of the over-the-counter "alternative medicines" which are widely marketed to and used by many cancer patients. There have been very few rigorous studies examining the effects of these alternative medicines in model tumor systems or examining their interactions with conventional, effective cancer therapeutic agents to assess whether the alternative medicines may potentially be useful, ineffective, or harmful to patients being treated for cancer. Our projects address this problem.
Selected PubMed article listing
Current Administrative Duties:
Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs, Yale School of Medicine.
Radiation Research:
Editor-in-Chief of Radiation Research, the official journal of the Radiation Research Society. Information on this Journal and the Society can be found at the Society website www.radres.org.
Ethics of Peer Review: A Guide for Manuscript Reviewers
This web-based course was written for the NIH Office of Research Integrity and is freely available for use in courses on Ethical Issues in Research. The course consists of four elements:
- Ethics of Peer Review: A Guide for Manuscript Reviewers, A didactic reading, with references, designed to serve as a handout for participants in the course.
- A powerpoint presentation, which can be used by the teacher to cover the material discussed in the handout.
- A powerpoint presentation, presenting 12 case studies illustrating various ethical issues which might arise during the review of scientific manuscripts.
- A Guide for the Discussion Leader, which discusses each case and suggests points for discussion.
This course is also available through the ORI website at http://ori.dhhs.gov/education/products/yale
