Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Richmond, Virginia
Professor and Chairman, VCU Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Director, VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine
Thelma Newmeyer Corman Chair of Cancer Research, VCU Massey Cancer Center
Research
Dr. Fisher’s cancer research focuses on the daunting challenge facing clinicians and cancer patients, namely identifying, treating and monitoring cancers once they have metastasized from the primary tumor. His efforts have led to development of novel technologies that simultaneously detect and diagnose tumors as well as effectively treat them – or a theranostic approach. With NFCR funding since 2008, Dr. Fisher is now developing an immunotheranostic by genetically engineering a tumor suppressor previously discovered by him to produce a fluorescent (light) signal, allowing for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of tumors. The fluorescent signal can be imaged using current non-invasive imaging techniques to detect the precise location of metastatic cells and monitor the tumor size after treatment.
NFCR funding has allowed Dr. Fisher to successfully incorporate the tumor suppressing immuno-theranostic into an ‘adoptive cell therapy’ to reduce prostate tumors in mice. In the laboratory, his adoptive therapy first collects the immune T cells from mice to genetically modify the cells with anticancer genes he discovered. After reinjection, the supercharged T cells seek out and deliver an immune enhancer gene that kills any prostate cancer cells. His therapy also provides an imaging tool to identify all metastases and monitor destruction of the tumor using non-invasive imaging. Dr. Fisher’s immuno-theranostic therapy could effectively treat not only metastatic prostate cancer but has the potential to treat virtually any solid tumor, and with modifications, blood cancers.
Bio
Paul Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., received his Bachelor’s degree from Hunter College and his Master’s from Lehman College. He went on to get his M.Ph. (Master of Public Health) and Ph.D. from Rutgers University, where he was also a postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Fisher later conducted research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and at Columbia University, where he became a Professor of Clinical Pathology, the Director of Neuro-Oncology Research and the Michael and Stella Chernow Urological Cancer Research Scientist.
Dr. Fisher joined the faculty of the Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) School of Medicine in 2008 and is currently a Professor and Chairman in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Director of the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine and holds the Thelma Newmeyer Corman Chair of Cancer Research in the VCU Massey Cancer Center.
In addition to his NFCR award, Dr. Fisher is a visiting research professor, eminent research scholar and adjunct professor at New York University, and a visiting professor at Burnham Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Fisher won the CaP CURE Award for Prostate Cancer Research in 1995 and the Lustgarten Award in 2003, 2004 and 2005. More recently, Governor Terry McAuliffe recognized Dr. Fisher as Virginia’s Outstanding Scientist of 2014. Dr. Fisher is an elected member of the National Academy of Inventors. He has more than 55 issued U.S. patents and multiple foreign patents. In 2018, Dr. Fisher was invited to join the new, illustrious editorial board of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) and JNCI Spectrum.
Areas of Focus
Cancer Types
Years of NFCR Funding
2008 – Present
