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University of Nebraska Medical Center
Home — College of Medicine — Department of Dermatology — Research — Translational Research

Translational Research

Our department uses a patient-driven approach to translational research projects.

Translational research is the process of translating scientific findings into therapeutic interventions. Researchers study a disease in the lab and develop tools for physicians to try in clinical trials while clinicians chart the effects in patients, which in turn, impacts research efforts. 

Opportunities

  • iCaRe2: The integrated Cancer Repository for Cancer Research,
    with associated biospecimen banks, was created by the Biomedical Informatics Core at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. This resource improves the efficiency of cancer-related research and facilitates collaborations among centers.  Ashley Wysong, MD, is the primary investigator for the non-melanoma skin cancer registry for iCaRe2 and is building prospective registries with multiple collaborating institutions.
  • Wysong Lab – Dr. Wysong and her team of MD/PhD students, MS students, postdoctoral research fellows, medical student yearlong research fellows, medical students, and others perform translational research in high-risk squamous cell carcinoma.  Specifically, the team is interested in identifying novel risk factors and genes relevant to help better predict metastasis and poor outcomes in squamous cell carcinoma.  We are also interested in the role of immunosuppression in SCC and the tumor micro-environment.  Key recent publications include:
    • Wysong A, Newman JG, Covington KR, Kurley SJ, Ibrahim SF, Farberg AS, Bar A, Cleaver NJ, Somani AK, Panther D, Brodland DG. Validation of a 40-gene expression profile test to predict metastatic risk in localized high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2021 Feb 1;84(2):361-9.
    • Lobl MB, Clarey D, Schmidt C, Wichman C, Wysong A. Analysis of mutations in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma reveals novel genes and mutations associated with patient-specific characteristics and metastasis: a systematic review. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2021 Mar 18:1-8.
    • Lobl M, Grinnell M, Phillips A, Abels J, Wysong A. The correlation between immunohistochemistry findings and metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma: A review. Dermatologic Surgery. 2021 Mar 1;47(3):313-8.
    • Lobl MB, Clarey D, Higgins S, Sutton A, Hansen L, Wysong A. Targeted next-generation sequencing of matched localized and metastatic primary high-risk SCCs identifies driver and co-occurring mutations and novel therapeutic targets.T Journal of Dermatological Science. 2020 Jul 1;99(1):30-43.
    • Lobl MB, Hass B, Clarey D, Higgins S, Wysong A. Next‐generation sequencing identifies novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in high‐risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A pilot study. Experimental Dermatology. 2020 Jul;29(7):667-71.
    • Feinstein S, Higgins S, Ahadiat O, Wysong A. A retrospective cohort study of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with lymph node metastasis: risk factors and clinical course. Dermatologic Surgery. 2019 Jun 1;45(6):772-81.