Program Leaders

TTUHSC SOM Pediatric Cancer Research Center Program Leaders

Developmental Therapeutics: 


Barry J. Maurer, MD PhD

• B.S., B.S.E  in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
• Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
• M.D in Medicine from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
• Internship in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI
• Residency in Pediatrics USC/LAC Pediatric Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
• Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Research Interests: 

Dr. Maurer is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, and Medicine, at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine (SOM), and Program Leader for Developmental Therapeutics for the TTUHSC Pediatric Cancer Center. Dr. Maurer is a pediatric oncologist experienced in translational laboratory cancer research (drug development/developmental therapeutics) and in developing, writing, and conducting Phase 1 and 2 oncology clinical trials in both children and adults. Major foci of his research have included the translational development and clinical testing of both intravenous and oral fenretinide as a cytotoxic ceramide-increasing agent, and of co-modulators of ceramide pathways, such as safingol, for combination with fenretinide in both adult and pediatric tumors. Another focus of his research has been the delineation of the cytotoxic specificity of different ceramide species in specific tumor systems. Dr. Maurer has developed novel oral and i.v. formulations of fenretinide and safingol for clinical testing and has conducted multiple Phase I and II clinical studies as study chair, co-chair, and study member, including in relapsed neuroblastoma, ALL leukemia, and platinum-refractory ovarian cancers. He has held FDA Investigator-initiated IND #68,254 for oral/LXS powder fenretinide, and IND #110,514 for intravenous fenretinide + intravenous safingol.

Clinical Oncology: 

TBD

Cancer Prevention:

TBD