UWMUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison · Biomedical Engineering
Head and Neck Cancer Therapeutics Lab
Deric L Wheeler · Madison, Wisconsin
Research Focus
Dr. Deric Wheeler's lab focuses on improving treatments for head and neck cancer (HNC) by exploring how certain proteins contribute to resistance against targeted therapies, specifically the drug cetuximab. By studying both human tumor samples and patient-derived models, the lab aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of resistance and to identify ways to overcome it using combinations of therapies. Their ultimate goal is to enhance treatment outcomes and refine existing therapeutic approaches for HNC patients.
head and neck cancercetuximabAXLc-Abl kinasetherapeutic resistance
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate if cytoplasmic sequestration of c-Abl is responsible for AXL mediated resistance to cetuximab.
AIM 02Determine if targeting both EGFR and c-Abl can enhance the response to cetuximab in resistant models.
AIM 03Perform a pilot study of cetuximab combined with imatinib in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturetumor xenograftingmolecular cloningWestern blottingimmunohistochemistry
Output against the department
Publications244top 42% of dept.245th of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.3kbottom 48% of dept.309th of 595
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.