Evanthia Galanis

Evanthia Galanis, M.D., has a long-standing interest in developing novel therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment. The focus of her laboratory is to develop and optimize novel virotherapy approaches with special emphasis on paramyxoviruses. A number of different strategies are tested, including use of therapeutic transgenes; trackable markers; combinations with small molecules, cytotoxic agents and radiation therapy; re-targeting of viral strains against tumor-specific antigens; development of novel viral delivery approaches; and exploration of immunomodulatory methods to modify humoral and innate immunity as a means of optimizing virotherapy efficacy.

A significant impetus for Dr. Galanis' research has been the translation of laboratory advances into clinical trials of novel virotherapeutics and small molecules in cancer patients. She has served as the principal investigator in multiple phase I and II virotherapy trials in different solid tumors (ovarian cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, renal cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma), and she has spearheaded the clinical translation of measles derivatives and their first human testing in patients with ovarian cancer or brain tumors, as well as first human use of live cell carriers for oncolytic virus delivery.