In 1991, the Saint John’s Cancer Institute launched a successful affiliation with Providence Saint John’s Health Center and opened in Santa Monica, California. Combined with the exceptional quality of Providence Saint John’s medical staff and hospital, a unique cancer institute was created, outstanding in the areas of translational research, and the treatment of solid tumors including surgical oncology, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Our clinicians and scientists are dedicated to the understanding and curing of cancer in order to eliminate patient suffering worldwide. Our mission is accomplished through:
- Conducting innovative research focusing on biological mechanisms to provide new understandings of the cause, diagnosis, control, and cure of cancer.
- Training the next generation of surgical scientists who study and treat cancer.
- Researching unique experimental treatment services, to rapidly develop and test new forms of diagnosis and therapy in order to improve the quality of life and expected survival of those afflicted with cancer.
Our scientists investigate the mechanisms underlying a disease target of interest, and work directly with clinicians to translate lab-based discoveries into personalized treatment. This bench-to-beside approach fosters a truly beneficial experience for our patients, as they lead to novel findings and new directions for therapeutic interventions. Learn more about our Translational Research Departments below:
Translational Molecular Medicine
The Department of Translational Molecular Medicine is committed to the development and translational application of transcriptomic, genomic, and epigenomic biomarkers as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools in patients with solid tumors, particularly melanoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and gastrointestinal tract cancers.
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Translational Neurosciences
The department of Translational Neurosciences is accelerating the development of novel therapies for brain cancers and neurological disorders through drug innovations and precision medicine.
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Drug Discovery & Nanomedicine
The Drug Discovery and Nanomedicine Research Program fosters the development of novel, safe and effective therapeutics for both oral and intravenous delivery, to address the unmet disease needs in Oncology and the neurosciences.
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Cancer Epigenetics
The Cancer Epigenetics Lab is focused on understanding the molecular determinants of tumor cell metastatic progression and drug resistance in cancer, particularly in aggressive forms of breast tumors and distant metastases. Specifically, interested in the epigenetic and epi-transcriptomic mechanisms that regulate gene expression programs in different tumor states, both at a regional level and in long-range chromatin interactions.
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Computational Biology
The Computational Biology department is committed to understanding whole systems. The mission is to transform data into biological insights that will ultimately influence clinical practice. The focus is on applying various “omics” data to address translational questions.
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