Robert Hickey, Ph.D.

(877) 460-4673
Robert Hickey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine
Research Area
  • Biomarker Discovery and Drug Development, with Emphasis on Novel Cancer Related Biomarkers and Their Potential Mechanistic Role in the Development, Maintenance, and Progression of Cancer
Academic Appointments

Associate Professor, Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine

Research Teams
Molecular Medicine

 

Location

Education & Experience

Degrees

  • 1979, Ph.D., Biochemistry, City University of New York, Graduate School, New York, NY

  • 1979, Ph.M., Biochemistry, City University of New York, Graduate School, New York, NY

  • 1972, B.A., Chemistry, City University of New York, Graduate School, New York, NY

Fellowship

  • 1980-1985, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Professional Experience

  • 2022-present, Associate Professor, Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2014-2022, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2011-2014, Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2002-2011, Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

  • 2001-2011 Associate Professor Department of Medicine, School of Medicine; Indiana University and Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

  • 2010-2015, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

  • 2002-2005, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

  • 2001-present, Invited Professor, School of Medicine, Unversidad Centroccidental “Isandro Alvarado”

  • 1998-2002, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, The Greenebaum Cancer Center, and the Programs in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

  • 1997-2001 Affiliate Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM

  • 1992-1997, Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, and the Programs in Molecular and Cellular Biology

  • 1991-1992 Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD

  • 1989-1992, Research Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and the Programs in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Oncology and Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

  • 1985-1989, Senior Research Associate, Cell Biology Group, Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, MA

  • 1981-1982, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Marymount College, New York, NY

  • 1980-1984, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY

  • 1980-1981, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY

Research

The lab is primarily focused on developing a new class of anti-cancer drugs which selectively kill cancer cells while causing little or no harm to noncancer cells.  This work grew out of our discovery of a unique isoform of a protein (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) that is only expressed by cancer cells, but not normal cells or cells comprising benign proliferative disease. The protein is involved in at least nine distinct biochemical pathways in the cancer cell and regulates DNA replication and repair, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis induction, immune surveillance and detection, transcription, glycolysis and several other pathways critical for the development and maintenance of cancer. Among the current projects are those involving: development of monoclonal antibodies to specifically detect cancer cells in biopsy tissue, development of new analogs of the lead “drug-like” molecule to enhance its potency, solubility, and stability, while maintaining its exquisite cancer selectivity; understanding its precise mechanisms of action toward killing cancer cells; and advancing the lead molecules/analogs into both safety and efficacy human clinical trials.    

Lab Members


Pouya Haratipour
Staff Scientist