Center for Advanced Preclinical Research: Preclinical Evaluation Team

The CAPR Preclinical Evaluation team specializes in evaluation of small molecule drugs and antibodies for cancer therapy and prevention. Their team goal is to reliably produce efficient and effective preclinical evaluation of lead anticancer therapeutics in human-guiding murine cancer models. The team also utilizes gene expression and metabolomics analyses to identify biomarkers of drug treatment effects. 

Team Leader

Zoë Weaver Ohler, Ph.D., Principal Scientist

Expertise

• Adaptation of genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models for use in drug treatment studies, including drug combination treatment regimens.
• Adaptation of genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models for use in prevention studies.
• Assessment of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of anticancer therapeutics in murine cancer models.
• Generation of therapy-resistant GEM-derived cancer models.
• Evaluation of preclinical GEM model utility vs. syngeneic orthotopic transplant models in guiding clinical research.
• Imaging endpoint utilization for quantification of drug effects, including one or more modalities such as MRI, PET/CT, ultrasound, and bioluminescence. 
• Biomarker and molecular signature discovery for drug treatment effects, including gene expression, immunohistochemistry, and metabolomics evaluation.
• Standard Operating Procedure development and dissemination.

Initiatives

Numerous internal projects and collaborative studies with industry, government and academic partners are ongoing. Current projects include evaluation of targeted therapeutics and biomarkers in mouse models for:

• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Glioblastoma multiforme
• Metastatic melanoma
• Serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma

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