Brian Van Ness, PhD

Brian Van Ness, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. He served as the Head of the Department for eight years and stepped down to serve as a co-Director of the Institute of Human Genetics. After receiving a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's degree in chemistry from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, PA, Dr. Van Ness obtained his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota. He conducted his postdoctoral work in molecular immunology with the Institute for Cancer Research in Fox Chase, PA. The research in the Van Ness lab is directed at defining genetic deregulation that contributes to lymphoid malignancies, particularly multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma results from plasma cell expansion in the bone marrow, and unfortunately is very hard to treat. This difficulty comes in part from the variability in genetic and signaling pathways that are deregulated in the plasma cells as well as the cells in the bone marrow microenvironment. The lab is developing cell line models to explore how different genes can influence disease progression and therapeutic response, then applying these results to analysis of patient samples. The goal is to develop gene expression signatures for each tumor that predicts response to a variety of drugs used in treatment of the disease. The lab has been developing single cell analyses to identify sub-populations within tumors that may resist therapy and contribute to relapse. The Van Ness lab is also working on novel therapeutic approaches involving epigenetic modulation to promote therapeutic response. The ultimate goal is to contribute to genetic characterization of patients that will direct individualized therapy.