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

Freddy E. Escorcia, M.D., Ph.D.
Physician-Scientist Early Investigator
Molecular Imaging Branch
NIH Distinguished Scholar
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

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.

NIH Scientific Focus Areas:
Biomedical Engineering and Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Clinical Research, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Molecular Pharmacology
View Dr. Escorcia's PubMed Summary.

Selected Key Publications

  1. Radiomics, Radiogenomics, and Next-Generation Molecular Imaging to Augment Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
    Bell M, Turkbey EB, Escorcia FE
    Cancer J. 26(2): 108-115, 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  2. iNOS regulates the therapeutic response of pancreatic cancer cells to radiation therapy.
    Pereira PMR, Edwards KJ, Mandleywala K, Carter LM, Escorcia FE, Campesato LF, Cornejo M, Abma L, Mohsen AA, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Merghoub T, Lewis JS
    Cancer Res. [Epub ahead of print], 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  3. Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Combination with Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.
    Xie C, Duffy AG, Brar G, Fioravanti S, Mabry-Hrones D, Walker M, Bonilla CM, Wood BJ, Citrin DE, Gil Ramirez EM, Escorcia FE, Redd B, Hernandez JM, Davis JL, Gasmi B, Kleiner D, Steinberg SM, Jones JC, Greten TF
    Clin Cancer Res. [Epub ahead of print], 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  4. Nontranscriptional role of Hif-1α in activation of γ-secretase and notch signaling in breast cancer.
    Villa JC, Chiu D, Brandes AH, Escorcia FE, Villa CH, Maguire WF, Hu CJ, de Stanchina E, Simon MC, Sisodia SS, Scheinberg DA, Li YM
    Cell Rep. 8(4): 1077-92, 2014. [ Journal Article ]
  5. 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 ]

Dr. Escorcia’s journey 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 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 Branch and the Radiation Oncology Branch at NCI's Center for Cancer Research. In 2019, Dr. Escorcia received the Distinguished Mentor Award.

 

Name Position
Meghan Bell, B.S. Postbaccalaureate Fellow (CRTA)
Stanley Fayn, B.S. Postbaccalaureate Fellow (CRTA)
Sasheen Hamilton, Ph.D., M.A. Postdoctoral Fellow (CRTA)
Paden King, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow (CRTA)
Rose M. Berman
Rose M. Berman, B.S. Postbaccalaureate Fellow 2017-2019

Rose began a two-year research fellowship at the NIH in 2017. 
Nick T. Gutsche
Nick T. Gutsche Post-baccalaureate Fellow 2018-2020
Olivia J. Kelada, Ph.D.
Olivia J. Kelada, Ph.D. Special Volunteer 2017-2020