UNTHSC Graduate is Exploring Vaccines to Stop the Spread of Cancer

Michael Donkor, PhD

Michael Donkor, PhD, wants to improve the chances of survival for cancer patients by stopping the spread of tumors throughout the body. He created a vaccine that stops the spread of breast cancer to the lungs. The project, which he conducted for his dissertation research, was successful in mouse models and could be expanded to test the vaccine in other pre-clinical settings.

The research could lead to more breakthroughs that increase survivorship among patients who are diagnosed with primary breast tumors. It could also help clinicians find better treatment combinations for cancer patients and provide an alternative to current regimen, like chemotherapy and radiation, that have several side effects.