Cheng-Chia "Fred" Wu, M.D., Ph.D.
“Childhood cancers are frustratingly resistant to treatments. We strive to apply the latest technological advances to these cancers to develop novel and desperately needed therapies."
Developing precision-based treatments for childhood cancers
Technologies like focused ultrasound may be the basis of new treatment possibilities for kids with cancer
The childhood brain cancer diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and diffuse midline glioma (DMG) are rare but aggressive cancers, and physicians lack an effective systemic therapy for them. Dr. Wu researches novel technologies to develop a precision-medicine based approach for drug delivery to treat these tumors. Focused ultrasound (FUS), used in combination with new and existing drug therapies as well as radiation, holds promise for improved treatments in these and other cancers. With labs at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in Roanoke and the institute's Cancer Research Center — D.C. on the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus, Dr. Wu aims to leverage technological advances from Virginia Tech and patient trial expertise at Children's National to advance cancer care for children and others.
cw2666@vtc.vt.edu
Cancer Research Center — D.C.
7144 13th Pl. NW
Washington, D.C., 20012
- Assistant Professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
- Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Tazhibi M, McQuillan N, Wei HJ, Gallitto M, Bendau E, Webster Carrion A, Berg X, Kokossis D, Zhang X, Zhang Z, Jan CI, Mintz A, Gartrell RD, Syed HR, Fonseca A, Pavisic J, Szalontay L, Konofagou EE, Zacharoulis S, Wu CC. Focused ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening is safe and feasible with moderately hypofractionated radiotherapy for brainstem diffuse midline glioma. J Transl Med. 2024 Mar 30;22(1):320. doi: 10.1186/s12967-024-05096-9. PMID: 38555449; PMCID: PMC10981822.
Englander ZK, Wei HJ, Pouliopoulos AN, Bendau E, Upadhyayula P, Jan CI, Spinazzi EF, Yoh N, Tazhibi M, McQuillan NM, Wang TJC, Bruce JN, Canoll P, Feldstein NA, Zacharoulis S, Konofagou EE, Wu CC. Focused ultrasound mediated blood-brain barrier opening is safe and feasible in a murine pontine glioma model. Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 22;11(1):6521. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85180-y. PMID: 33753753; PMCID: PMC7985134.
Wei HJ, Upadhyayula PS, Pouliopoulos AN, Englander ZK, Zhang X, Jan CI, Guo J, Mela A, Zhang Z, Wang TJC, Bruce JN, Canoll PD, Feldstein NA, Zacharoulis S, Konofagou EE, Wu CC. Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Increases Delivery and Efficacy of Etoposide for Glioblastoma Treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2021 Jun 1;110(2):539-550. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.12.019. Epub 2020 Dec 17. PMID: 33346092; PMCID: PMC8553628.
Wang S, Wu CC, Zhang H, Karakatsani ME, Wang YF, Han Y, Chaudhary KR, Wuu CS, Konofagou E, Cheng SK. Focused ultrasound induced-blood-brain barrier opening in mouse brain receiving radiosurgery dose of radiation enhances local delivery of systemic therapy. Br J Radiol. 2020 May 1;93(1109):20190214. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20190214. Epub 2020 Feb 5. PMID: 31999201; PMCID: PMC7217580.
Kline-Schoder AR, Chintamen S, Willner MJ, DiBenedetto MR, Noel RL, Batts AJ, Kwon N, Zacharoulis S, Wu CC, Menon V, Kernie SG, Konofagou EE. Characterization of the responses of brain macrophages to focused ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening. Nat Biomed Eng. 2023 Oct 19. doi: 10.1038/s41551-023-01107-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37857722.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center/Presbyterian Hospital
- Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology
- Chief Resident, Department of Radiation Oncology
- Executive Lead and Director, Initiative for Drug Delivery Innovation
Doctor of Medicine, New York Medical College
Doctorate in Pharmacology, New York Medical College
Chief Resident, Department of Radiation Oncology, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
Clinical Residency, Department of Radiation Oncology, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
- Scientific Advisory Board for Pediatrics — Focused Ultrasound Foundation, 2022
- Hannah’s Heroes St. Baldrick’s Scholar, 2021
- RSNA Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award, 2018
- Travel award — Winter Eicosanoid Conference, Baltimore, 2012
- Travel award — Winter Eicosanoid Conference, Baltimore, 2011
- Travel award — Keystone Symposia — Bioactive Lipids, Kyoto, Japan, 2010
- Travel award — Winter Eicosanoid Conference, Baltimore, 2010
- Travel award — Winter Eicosanoid Conference, Baltimore, 2009
- Second place for Pharmacology Student Research Forum, Valhalla, N.Y., 2009
- First place for the Dean’s Medical Student Research Award — Basic Science Research, Valhalla, N.Y., 2007