Addressing Challenges in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy in the 12st Century Thomas J. Kipps Professor of Medicine; Head, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Associate Director, UCSD Gene Therapy Program; Director in Immunology, UCSD Cancer Center, US

Dr. Kipps is Head, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Associate Director, UCSD Gene Therapy Program; Director in Immunology, UCSD Cancer Center. Dr. Kipps research focuses on 4 areas: 1) Human B cell physiology with emphasis on B cell antigen presentation, accessory molecules involved in cognate T-cell <-> B-cell interactions, signal transduction, and immunoglobulin gene expression, 2) Human B cell lymphoproliferative diseases with emphasis on pathogenic mechanisms, immunoglobulin gene expression, and innovative forms of immunotherapy, 3) In vitro or in vivo somatic cell transfection or transduction using plasmid DNA or viral expression vectors for gene immunotherapy of neoplastic disease, and 4) structure-function studies of immunoglobulin or accessory molecules involved in signal transduction or cognate cell-cell interactions. Dr. Kipps is deputy director of the UCSD Comprehensive Cancer Center, and also directs the CLL Research Consortium, a multi-institution research program sponsored by the National Cancer Institute to study chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The consortium brings together the nation's top scientists from different disciplines—genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, immunology and pharmacology—to conduct an integrated program of basic and clinical research focused on CLL.

Nanotech 2005 Conference Program Speaker Biography