Douglas S. Conklin Named Director of UAlbany’s Cancer Research Center

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 26, 2023) — University at Albany’s Douglas S. Conklin has been appointed director of the School of Public Health’s Cancer Research Center (CRC), effective August 21, 2023.

Conklin, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, has been with UAlbany since 2003 and regularly teaches courses in genomics, cancer, RNA therapies and biochemistry. In his laboratory at the CRC, he has trained seven postdoctoral fellows and nine graduate students, and has mentored over 70 undergraduate students.

Conklin’s research is focused on the identification and study of druggable targets for breast cancer and other types of cancer. His group uses an RNA-based technology that revolutionized genetic studies in mouse and human cells to identify critical weaknesses of cancer cells. His laboratory’s work has yielded a number of publications and 20 patents related to cancer cell metabolism and signaling. His group has been supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

In addition to his research and teaching, Conklin serves as the faculty advisor for the American Cancer Society on Campus, a community service organization that raises awareness and contributions for the American Cancer Society. He has served on the Capital Region Medical Research Institute Advisory Committee since its inception. He serves on the Advisory Committee and frequently provides informational talks for To Life!, a breast cancer support and women’s health education organization in the Capital Region. Conklin was also appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to the New York State Health Research Science Board and has served as chair for the past 10 years.

“Dr. Conklin brings energy and enthusiasm to research, mentorship, and community engagement. Under his leadership, I am excited to see the Cancer Research Center continue its important work advancing science and training the next generation of cancer researchers,” says Erin Bell, interim dean of the School of Public Health.

Since 2006, the CRC has housed researchers focused on the underlying biology associated with tumor initiation and progression, along with the development and evaluation of chemopreventive regimens and therapeutic approaches for common cancers. Projects range from studying the cancer risks of nanoparticles—which can be found in a variety of personal care and household products like toothpaste, cosmetics and disinfectants—to better understanding the molecular genetic dysregulation found in cancers.

“Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, it’s the most costly illness in the U.S. and is consistently ranked as the most important health issue. Unfortunately, we’ve all been touched by it. It’s a hard problem but work at the CRC by UAlbany faculty and students has contributed to our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of cancer,” Conklin says.

Conklin received a doctorate in molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied yeast physiology and its relation to cell cycle regulation. He was a Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Foundation postdoc at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he worked on mechanisms of basic cell cycle control related to cancer. Later, as a senior fellow at Cold Spring Harbor, he worked on the development of advanced mammalian genetic technologies.