Dr. Priscilla Hwang has established herself as an innovative researcher in cancer metastasis at Virginia Commonwealth University where she serves as an assistant professor in the College of Engineering. Her academic foundation was built during undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering at Duke University where she developed a deep commitment to understanding cancer biology through an engineering lens. Driven by personal experience with a childhood friend's leukemia journey, she has dedicated her career to solving one of oncology's most challenging problems: how cancer spreads throughout the body. Her laboratory represents a convergence of engineering precision and biological insight aimed at interrupting cancer's progression at its most vulnerable stages.
Her groundbreaking research focuses on identifying the precise chemical and mechanical cues that trigger breast cancer cells to migrate through the body's vascular systems, particularly examining how clusters of cells break away to establish secondary tumors. Dr. Hwang has developed sophisticated microphysiological systems that enable unprecedented observation of cancer cell migration, recreating the fluid-filled channels through which cells travel at approximately 200 microns per day. By integrating cellular and molecular biology with advanced engineering techniques, her laboratory has uncovered critical details about the early metastatic process when cancer cells attempt to hijack lymphatic or blood vessel highways. This meticulous approach provides essential insights into the mechanisms that could be targeted to prevent cancer's progression to stage 4, potentially transforming treatment paradigms for metastatic disease.
The significance of Dr. Hwang's contributions has been recognized through a substantial five-year grant from the National Science Foundation, providing critical support for her innovative research program aimed at developing interventions to disrupt cancer's metastatic cascade. Her laboratory's primary focus on designing 3D microphysiological systems advances knowledge in both cancer progression and musculoskeletal pathologies through interdisciplinary investigation. Dr. Hwang's research methodology exemplifies how engineering approaches can be strategically applied to address fundamental biological questions with direct clinical implications. As her work continues to evolve, it holds substantial promise for developing targeted therapies that could prevent cancer spread and improve outcomes for patients facing advanced disease.
