Human Thyroid Cancers Preclinical & Translational Research Program


carmelo nucera

Carmelo Nucera, MD, PhD

Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School 
Principal Investigator Human Thyroid Cancers Preclinical and Translational Research Program
Specialist in Endocrine Diseases and Metabolism 
Center for Vascular Biology and Biomedical Research (CVBR)
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 
Simon C. Fireman Research Center 
Harvard Medical School 

I am an MD/PhD with specialty in endocrine cancers and I’m developing as Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School a research program in the Center for Vascular Biology and Biomedical Research (CVBR) at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, focused on "preclinical and translational models of human thyroid cancer with an emphasis on mechanisms of metastatic networks, new models of in vitro angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, and metabolic regulations, using and dissecting new targeted therapies anti-BRAFV600E. I am primarily engaged in basic and translational thyroid cancer research, but also actively participate in tutoring and teaching activities to basic science students and medical students. I have 10-years of research and clinical experience.

In particular, my research interests are in elucidating mechanisms by which the oncogene BRAFV600E leads to the invasive behavior in aggressive, metastatic, and iodine-refractory thyroid cancers. I'm highly committed and motivated to applying my research and effort to patient care, to facilitate innovation, to solve unmet clinical needs, and improve public health.

I was recently awarded from the American Thyroid Association and from the NIH/NCI for Thyroid Cancer Research, Tumor Microenvironment, and BRAFV600E.

My translational research program is aimed: 
(i) To identify new prognostic biomarkers and validate therapeutics for treating metastatic/refractory thyroid cancers.
(ii) To identify pro-metastatic/-angiogenic and metabolic pathways in the microenvironment of BRAFV600E-positive thyroid cancer. 
(iii) To determine the function of lymphatic/blood vessels in thyroid cancer and identify driver clones in the angiogenic microenvironment of thyroid tumors (tumor heterogeneity). 
(iv) To determine the prognostic role of epigenetic markers (e.g. non-coding RNAs) in thyroid cancer. 
(v) To investigate pathogenesis and molecular basis of “orphan and rare’ endocrine diseases

My laboratory is open to accept international medical students, PhD students, experienced basic researcher as volunteer, as well as international PhD students that have a fellowship, and visiting faculties. I'm genuinely dedicated to advancing translational Thyroid Cancer Research.

Funds: NIH/NCI, American Thyroid Association, Sponsored Research Grants