Washington University in St Louis · BiologyThe Radiance Lab
Michael Benjamin Major · Saint Louis, Missouri
Research Focus
Dr. Michael Benjamin Major's lab at Washington University explores innovative treatments for head and neck cancers, focusing on a protein called NRF2 that helps tumors resist radiation therapy. The team is testing new drugs that inhibit NRF2 to make these cancers more sensitive to radiation, aiming to improve patient outcomes. This research holds the potential to significantly enhance the effectiveness of existing cancer treatments and provide new therapeutic strategies for challenging cases.
NRF2head and neck cancerradiation therapydrug inhibitorscancer metabolism
Research Aims
4AIM 01Investigate the role of NRF2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
AIM 02Identify and test effective NRF2 inhibitors for improving radiation therapy outcomes.
AIM 03Develop preclinical models to evaluate drug efficacy and toxicity.
AIM 04Analyze patient genetic profiles to predict treatment responses.
Skills the Lab Values
animal models3D cell culturedrug screeningflow cytometrymolecular biologygenetic engineeringprotein analysischemotherapy techniquesdata analysis
Output against the department
Publications1bottom 1% of dept.1,031st of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations0bottom 1% of dept.1,030th of 1,033
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.