Shiuh-Wen Luoh

Dr. Luoh’s research focuses on developing new biomarkers and targets for novel therapy in breast cancer. His laboratory examines the functional involvement of several genes from the HER-2 region on the human chromosome 17 in breast cancer. His laboratory has recently shown that the GRB7 gene, which encodes a signal transduction molecule from the HER-2 region, is an independent adverse prognostic factor in breast cancer. His ongoing research aims to understand why some patients fail to respond to currently available HER-2 targeted therapy and to develop a new HER-2 testing strategy with improved accuracy. In addition, working with a well-annotated breast tumor repository with long-term clinical follow-up at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Dr. Luoh’s most recent endeavors are directed at understanding the mechanism of late breast cancer relapse (more than five years after initial diagnosis and successful treatment). This is an important and as yet, a little understood area. A breakthrough in this area is vital to our achievement of zero recurrence for women diagnosed with breast cancer.