Erwin G. Van Meir

Dr. Erwin Van Meir is a professor in the UAB Department of Neurosurgery. His research interest lies in understanding the molecular basis for human tumor development and how to use this knowledge to devise new therapeutics that will improve patient survival. Van Meir's research examines how genetic alterations and hypoxia induce changes in cell biology that promote tumor formation with particular emphasis on heterotypic cell-cell signaling, including tumor angiogenesis. Van Meir has developed novel therapeutic approaches for cancer using oncolytic adenoviruses and anti-angiogenic molecules and is currently developing novel small molecule inhibitors of the hypoxia-inducible factor pathway. His research aims to translate these novel agents to testing in clinical trials with the hope to develop novel medicines for cancer treatment. The principal modeling systems he uses in his lab are malignant brain (glioblastoma and medulloblastoma) and eye (metastatic uveal melanoma) cancers, although the experimental therapeutics he develops are applicable to the cure of many solid malignancies.

Neuro-oncology