Dr. David Jablons

Before his retirement, lab projects conducted under Dr. David Jablons’ direction involved molecular pathways, stem cells and genetic therapy. One of the projects, an investigation of a specific pathway used in the treatment of mesothelioma, earned a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Novel Mesothelioma Therapies

Jablons’ research team was “seeking to discover … therapeutic agents and cures for lung cancer and mesothelioma.” His team of recruits strove to “pursue target discovery and novel therapies” for these diseases. Many of the mesothelioma treatments explored in this lab went on to show considerable promise in the treatment of thoracic malignancies.

Additionally, Jablons and his laboratory team have developed a thoracic tissue bank that is one of the largest in the world. The team realized the importance of preserving tissue samples from the patients who underwent surgery at the facility, and more than 1,000 specimens of cancerous tumors collected at their tissue bank have made groundbreaking biological research possible.

Jablons’ achievements in medical school at Albany Medical College of Union University served as a springboard for his career. While enrolled as a medical student at Union, Jablons was awarded a prestigious training opportunity to study clinical science at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). He spent a year studying tumor immunology and surgical oncology at the Institute, where he was able to learn from some of the leading experts in the field, including David Sugarbaker, M.D.

Dr. Jablons’ Publications

Jablons has authored and co-authored 28 articles that discuss mesothelioma. Two of these were published in 2012, both of which discussed genetic treatment of this cancer.