Phuoc T. Tran, MD, PhD

Dr. Tran’s research focuses on the improvement of clinical radiotherapy for the treatment of primarily prostate, as well as adrenal, bladder, penile, testicular and urethral cancer. To learn how tumors arise, how they spread and why some cancers are resistant to treatment, he studies tumor cell epithelial plasticity - transitions of epithelial and mesenchymal cellular states.

Dr. Tran and his laboratory focus their studies on tumor cell epithelial plasticity - the transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal cellular states and the implications of these transitions for tumorigenesis, cancer treatment resistance and radiation-induced fibrosis. Their research utilizes a variety of inducible transgenic mouse models, non-invasive rodent imaging as well as more traditional molecular, biochemical and cell biologic approaches. One of these transitions, known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is a conserved developmental program that when inappropriately activated in post-natal life has been associated with organ fibrosis, tumorigenesis and metastasis.

A major focus of the laboratory is the use of inducible mouse models to simulate molecularly targeted therapies for malignancies and radiation induced late effects.

Another focus of the laboratory is the study of novel targeted agents as tumor selective radiosensitizers to increase the therapeutic ratio of clinical radiotherapy.

The Tran lab is committed to translating discoveries from the laboratory bench into novel cancer prevention, diagnostic and treatment approaches that can be tested in the clinic.

Please visit: 

https://www.tranlaboratory.com/

https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/dtrs/ROBIN-OligoMET-Center/

Adrenal Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Image-Guided Radiation Therapy, Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Metastatic Bone Disease, Metastatic Disease, Oligometastatic Disease, Penile Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Radiation Oncology, Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, Testicular Cancer, Urethral Cancer

Honors

• Fellow, Henry S. Kaplan Research, 2007
• Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Alumni Award, Oregon Health & Sciences University Chapter, 2013
• Fellow, Parker B. Francis, 2008 - 2011
• Fellow, Radiological Society of North America Research, 2008
• John Muir College Caledonian Honor Society, University of California, 1995
• 1R01CA166348-01A1, National Cancer Institute , 2013 - 2018
• Sidney Kimmel Translational Scholar Award, 2013 - 2015
• Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund Award, 2013 - 2014
• Early Career Achievement Award, Oregon Health & Sciences University School of Medicine Alumni Association , 2013
• Research Scholar, American Cancer Society , 2012 - 2016
• Uniting Against Lung Cancer Award, 2012 - 2014
• Included among Top Doctors, Baltimore Magazine, 2012
• Educator of The Year, Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (ARRO) , 2012
• Prostate Cancer Physician Research Training Award, DoD , 2011 - 2016
• The Phyllis and Brian L. Harvey Scholar - Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund Award, 2011 - 2013
• Junior Faculty Career Research Training Award, ASTRO, 2009 - 2011
• Malcolm A. Bagshaw Award, 2007
• Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop Scholarship, ASCO/AACR , 2007
• Research Resident, Radiological Society of North America , 2006
• Roentgen Resident Research Award, Radiological Society of North America , 2006
• Deans Medical Student Research Award, OHSU, 2003
• Molecular Hematology Research Training Fellow, OHSU, 1998 - 2001
• Laurel Merit MD/PhD Scholar, OHSU, 1996 - 2003
• Graduated magna cum laude, University of California, 1996
• Regents Scholar, University of California, 1995 - 1996
• Johns Hopkins Catalyst Award, 2015
• ASCO Leadership Development Program, 2015
• Movember Foundation-PCF Challenge Award, 2015
• Johns Hopkins Discovery Award, 2016 - 2017
• 1R21CA223403-01-01, National Cancer Institute, 2018
• 1U01CA212007-01A1, National Cancer Institute, 2018
• 1U01CA231776-01, National Cancer Institute, 2018
• 1U01CA231776-S1, National Cancer Institute, 2021
• 1U54CA273956-01 - Radiation Oncology-Biology Integration Network (ROBIN) Oligometastasis (OligoMET) Center, National Cancer Institute, 2022

Memberships

• Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society , 2013
• American Association for Cancer Research , 2007
• American College of Radiation Oncology , 2005
• American College of Radiology, 2004
• American Society for Radiation Oncology, 2004
• American Society of Clinical Oncology , 2007
• American Thoracic Society, 2008 - 2012
• Radiation Research Society , 2011
• Radiological Society of North America , 2004
• The EMT International Association , 2011

1U01CA212007-01A1       Fertig/Ewald/Popel/Tran (PI)            04/01/18-03/31/23

NIH/NCI

Integrating bioinformatics into multiscale models for hepatocellular carcinoma

Role: MPI

1U01CA231776-01        Hann/Marchionni/Tran (PI)                09/03/18-08/31/23

NCI

Bioinformatic-Chemical Approach to Credential Molecular Targets to Combat Rapid Chemo-Radiation Resistance in SCLC

Role: MPI

20CHAL03                              Pienta/Tran (PI)                        1/1/21-12/31/22 NCE

Movember-Distingished Gentlemen’s Ride-PCF Challenge

“Radiolabeled systemic therapy with SABR for castration sensitive prostate cancer oligometastatic disease”

Role: MPI

3U01CA231776-03S1    Hann/Marchionni/Tran (PI)                04/01/21-08/31/23

NCI
Tumor-barcoding coupled with high-throughput sequencing of a novel chemoradiation resistant SCLC mouse model

Role: MPI

W81XWH-21-1-0296               Tran (PI)                                  5/1/21-4/30/24

Dept of Defense CDMRP Prostate Cancer Research Program

Novel biomarkers to direct stereotactic ablative radiotherapy in castration-sensitive oligometastatic prostate cancer

Role: PI

1U54CA273956-01         Sawant/Simone/Tran (PI)                    8/01/22-07/30/27

NCI 
Radiation Oncology-Biology Integration Network on Oligometastasis (ROBIN OligoMET) Center

Role: Contact PI

https://www.tranlaboratory.com/

https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/dtrs/ROBIN-OligoMET-Center/