Earlier cancer detection usually means a greater chance of remission or cure, but cost-effective and highly specific cancer screening is not yet available for most cancers. More than 90 percent of cancers harbor aneuploidy, an abnormal number of chromosomes in a cell; this abnormality is highly specific for cancer and can be detected with DNA sequencing. Dr. Dudley [Gordon Family Physician-Scientist] is developing a new approach for detecting cells with abnormal amounts of DNA, which could identify cancer sooner. He aims to apply this approach to urine and Pap smear samples to create an inexpensive and sensitive screening test for bladder, ovarian and endometrial cancers.

Dr. McKinley studies the lining of the uterus called the endometrium. The human endometrium is a uniquely powerful system to understand fundamental principles of regeneration, as it regenerates after menstruation approximately 400 times over the reproductive lifespan. Understanding this remarkable regenerative event is critical to combat the growing incidence of endometrial cancers, and to address the longstanding unmet needs of patients with endometriosis and adenomyosis. The McKinley laboratory studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms of endometrial regeneration, with a view to improving endometrial cancer screening and developing new fertility-preserving treatments.