Multiple Myeloma and Related Disorders

I serve as the Director of the Cancer Center Hematologic Malignancies Program. I chair the myeloma amyloidosis, dysproteinemia disease oriented group. My research focuses on the biology of multiple myeloma and related monoclonal gammopathies. My work is funded by the National Cancer Institute, the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, the Damon-Runyon Cancer Research Fund, Industry, and Mayo Development funds.

Our invention, the BrDU plasma cell labeling index (PCLI) has moved from a simple research tool to become a valuable tool for diagnosis and for predicting outcome. Our Myeloma Cell Bank provides samples of marrow and blood from over 6000 patients and it has become a national and international resource. We serve Mayo investigators as well as investigators of the Myeloma SPORE Grant and Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium and the National Cooperative Groups. These represent an invaluable resource allowing performance of many assays requiring fresh or frozen DNA, RNA, cells, and plasma.

My own specific areas of laboratory research include:

• S-phase kinetics
• Myeloma Cell Proliferation Markers and phenotyping, Bone Disease Markers and Treatment
• New Antigen Discovery on Myeloma Cells and
• Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Myeloma
• Role of Soluble Syndecan
• Plasmablastic Myeloma
• Myeloma Prognostic Factors
• Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome
• Other Monoclonal Gammopathy Related Disorders
• Myeloma Clinical Trials