Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Cancer Center at Illinois

Working Groups

Cancer Center at Illinois working groups foster interdisciplinary collaboration, identify new research partnerships, and develop new cancer research directions.

Cancer and Microbes

The CCIL and the Illinois Microbial Systems Initiative formed a new partnership to promote enhanced collaboration at the interface of microbial sciences and cancer. The group conducts symposia, invites speakers, and promotes new ideas such as engineering microbial delivery systems for cancer drugs.

Faculty Leaders

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Cancer Digital Insights

This working group harnesses the emerging revolution in AI for cancer research rather than clinically deployable software; a strategic decision was made to focus on computational methods that would provide novel biological or physical insights using unique data sets generated by members. In collaboration with the NCSA, this working group will build research capacity.

Faculty Leaders

  • Kun Wang, Assistant Professor, Comparative Biosciences
  • Charles Blatti, Research Scientist, National Center for Supercomputing Applications
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Center for Label-Free Imaging and Multiscale Biophotonics (CLIMB)

This working group advances cancer research through label-free optical imaging and computational methods to study biological processes across scales. By integrating biophotonics and AI/ML approaches, CLIMB generates novel diagnostic insights and supports the translation of imaging technologies into clinical applications.

Faculty Leader

  • Stephen Boppart, Director, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute; W. W. Grainger Chair, Bioengineering
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Center for Genomic Diagnostics (CGD)

This working group advances cancer research through the discovery of genomic biomarkers and the development of technologies for non-invasive, rapid disease detection. CGD focuses on approaches such as liquid biopsies to improve cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment through precision, genome-informed strategies.

Faculty Leaders

  • Brian Cunningham, Research Program Leader, Cancer Center at Illinois; Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
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Environmental Effects and Cancer: Cancer Toxicology of PFAS

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals that are used in many consumer products and industrial processes. They are also known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily in the environment. This group explores PFAS and the varied toxic effects it has on human health.

Faculty Leader

  • Joseph Irudayaraj, Associate Director for Shared Resources, Cancer Center at Illinois; Founder Professor, Bioengineering

Extracellular Vesicle Imaging & Therapy

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent an important mechanism for intercellular communication, yet our understanding of the biosynthesis, detection, and characterization of EVs continues to emerge. The mission of the EVIT Working Group is to bring together our university community focused on the investigation of EVs in the context of both health and disease.

Faculty Leaders

  • Stephen Boppart, Director, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute; W. W. Grainger Chair, Bioengineering
  • Marni Boppart, Professor, Kinesiology and Community Health
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Mechanochemical Dynamic Therapy

This working group integrates fundamental understanding of mechanically induced selective ring opening in polymers was with high-frequency ultrasound as a non-invasive cancer treatment platform for cancer.

Faculty Leader

  • Yun-Sheng Chen, Assistant Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Organoid Group

This group explores organoid usage with cancer research. It is establishing tools and processes to archive organoids and train others in their use.

Faculty Leader

Pets to People

This group is enabled by comparative tumor oncology and genomics through the inclusion of companion animals (dogs and cats) with cancer.

Faculty Leaders

  • Timothy Fan, Associate Director for Translational Research and Development, Cancer Center at Illinois; Khan Family Chair and Professor, Veterinary Clinical Medicine
  • Paul Hergenrother, Deputy Director, Cancer Center at Illinois; Kenneth Rinehart Jr. Endowed Chair and Professor, Chemistry

Robotics & Interoperative Assessment

Robotics and interoperative assessement has shown the potential to produece less trauma to tissue, reduce pain and increase recovery time; has better cosmetic results; provides for shorter hospital stays; and has increased accuracy. This group is exploring the benefits and usage robotic surgery and their applications for patients.

Faculty Leader

  • Viktor Gruev, Research Program Leader, Cancer Center at Illinois; Dunning Endowed Faculty Scholar and Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Tumor Immunology

This group is investigating whether peripheral virus infection alters the migration of T cells into bone marrow and explores these factors in a controlled setting, using a 3-dimensional tissue culture system with defined cellular constituents.

Faculty Leaders

  • Hua Wang, Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Engineering
  • Erik Nelson, Research Program Leader, Cancer Center at Illinois; Professor, Molecular & Integrative Physiology

Contact

For more information about CCIL working groups contact CCIL Research Program Manager Tani Adeniba at tda3@illinois.edu.