Freddy E. Escorcia, M.D., Ph.D.

Freddy E. Escorcia, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Investigator
Molecular Imaging Program
Head, Laboratory of Molecular Radiotherapy

Advances in engineering of tumor-specific molecules to guide cytotoxic treatments, such as chemotherapy or radionuclides, have resulted in new classes of cancer drugs which have the potential to kill tumors while mitigating toxicities to normal tissues, moving us closer to truly tumor-targeted, personalized cancer treatment for our patients.  Targeted radionuclide therapy provides an orthogonal mode of cell killing that is distinct from, yet complementary to, existing small molecule and chemotherapy treatments. By harnessing systemic, targeted radionuclides, our group aims to develop new agents to help us better treat and monitor cancer patients. Dr. Escorcia is also a clinically trained radiation oncologist and treats patients with all tumor types amenable to radiation therapy. He is fluent in Spanish and English.

Areas of Expertise
1) radiation oncology 2) bioconjugate chemistry 3) radiochemistry

Contact Info

Freddy E. Escorcia, M.D., Ph.D.
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
Building 10 Room 1B55
Bethesda, MD 20892
Ph: 240-858-3062
freddy.escorcia@nih.gov
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Advances in engineering of tumor-specific molecules to guide cytotoxic treatments, such as chemotherapy or radionuclides, have resulted in new classes of cancer drugs which have the potential to kill tumors while mitigating toxicities to normal tissues, moving us closer to truly tumor-targeted, personalized cancer treatment for our patients.  Targeted radionuclide therapy provides an orthogonal mode of cell killing that is distinct from, yet complementary to, existing small molecule and chemotherapy treatments. By harnessing systemic, targeted radionuclides, our group aims to develop new agents to help us better treat and monitor cancer patients. Dr. Escorcia is also a clinically trained radiation oncologist and treats patients with all tumor types amenable to radiation therapy.

Scientific Focus Areas:
Biomedical Engineering and Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Clinical Research, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Molecular Pharmacology

Selected Key Publications

  1. Radiotherapy and Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Melanoma: A Promising Combinatorial Strategy In Need of Further Investigation.
    Escorcia FE, Postow M, Barker CA.
    The Cancer Journal. 23: 32-39, 2017. [ Journal Article ]
  2. Self-assembly of carbon nanotubes and antibodies on tumours for targeted amplified delivery.
    Mulvey JJ, Villa CH, McDevitt MR, Escorcia FE, Casey E, Scheinberg DA.
    Nature Nanotechnology. 8: 763-771, 2013. [ Journal Article ]
  3. Conscripts of the infinite armada: systemic cancer therapy using nanomaterials.
    Scheinberg DA, Villa CH, Escorcia FE, McDevitt MR.
    Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology . 7: 266-276 , 2010. [ Journal Article ]
  4. Selective killing of tumor neovasculature paradoxically improves chemotherapy delivery to tumors.
    Escorcia FE, Henke E, McDevitt MR, Villa CH, Smith-Jones P, Blasberg RG, Benezra R, Scheinberg DA.
    Cancer Research. 70: 9277-9286, 2010. [ Journal Article ]
  5. Coupled degradation of a small regulatory RNA and its mRNA targets in Escherichia coli.
    Masse E, Escorcia FE, Gottesman S.
    Genes & Development . 17: 2374-2383 , 2003. [ Journal Article ]

Dr. Escorcia’s thirst for learning began in a small coastal town on the Atlantic side of Nicaragua, continued through to Toronto, Ontario, then to central Illinois. He earned his undergraduate degrees in bioengineering and chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, igniting his interest in science and medicine, and prompting enrollment in the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program of Weill Cornell Medical College, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and The Rockefeller University in New York, NY.  Dr. Escorcia’s thesis work involved engineering tumor-targeted antibodies and polymers to delivery cytotoxic alpha-particle radionuclide payloads. This experience with harnessing radiation for cancer therapy led to Dr. Escorcia’s pursuit of a radiation oncology residency at MSKCC and continues to drive his research and clinical interests as an Assistant Clinical Investigator within the Molecular Imaging Program and the Radiation Oncology Branch at the NCI Center for  Cancer Research.

 

Name Position
Rose M. Berman, B.S. Postbaccalaureate Fellow (CRTA)
Nick Gutsche, B.S. Postbaccalaureate Fellow (CRTA)
Olivia J. Kelada, Ph.D. Guest Researcher