University of Colorado Cancer Center welcomes two new members

Dr. Paul Jedlicka [Photo Courtesy of: University of Colorado Cancer Center

Last month, the University of Colorado Cancer Center welcomed two new employees: Paul Jedlicka, MD, PhD, and Erica Pierce, PhD.Headquartered on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, the center is a consortium among CU-Boulder, UC Denver, Colorado State University, and the University of Colorado Hospital and its affiliates: The Children's Hospital, Denver Health, the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and National Jewish Health. The center's more than 400 members perform research, provide cancer care and educate the public about prevention and control of the disease.

Jedlicka, an assistant professor of pathology in UC Denver's molecular oncology program, researches Ets factors and how they relate to colon cancer progression. Ets proteins affect DNA sequences and can contribute to the malignancy of tumor cells. Jedlicka earned his doctorate in biology from Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from McGill University. He also did an internship at Harvard Medical School.

Pierce (center) with colleagues Kendra Hasebroock (left) and Natalie Serkova, PhD. [Photo courtesy of University of Colorado Hospital

Erica Pierce, research instructor of radiology and anesthesiology at UC Denver, is an associate member of the developmental therapeutics program. She performs research on cancer therapeutics, including the investigation of anti-cancer agents in living organisms, also called in vivopharmacology. Among her various research topics is the development of techniques for noninvasive assessment treatment efficiencies. Pierce earned her PhD in pharmaceutical science at UC Denver.