Deshka Foster, MD, PhD, keeps coming back to the same place: Stanford. It’s where she earned her undergraduate degree in human biology, where she returned after malaria research in Tanzania to complete a master’s in African studies, and where she later trained as a general surgeon while earning a doctorate in cancer biology under the mentorship of Michael Longaker, MD, MBA.
After fellowships in surgical oncology and hepatopancreatobiliary surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering, Foster is back at Stanford once more. This time, as an assistant professor of surgery.
“Stanford is an incredible place,” said Foster. “I thrived here as a trainee, and I was drawn back by the opportunity to work alongside world-class surgeons and to continue building my research program in a collaborative and innovative environment.”
Where the questions begin
Foster works at the intersection of surgery and science. Her research starts in the operating room, where the complexity of cancer cases sparks the scientific questions she investigates in her lab.
It creates a constant flow of ideas between the bench and the bedside and offers a unique perspective on cancer biology."
“Participating in both patient care and running a basic science and translational lab is a dream come true,” she says. “It creates a constant flow of ideas between the bench and the bedside and offers a unique perspective on cancer biology.”
This tight link between the clinic and the lab allows her team to study tumor tissue shortly after surgery, helping translate clinical observations into new discoveries. Her years of training at Stanford strengthened her expertise and helped her build the collaborative relationships that drive her research forward. She is also excited about how emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, can enhance personalized cancer treatments.
Tumor and tissue
Foster’s lab studies the tumor microenvironment, focusing on the non-cancerous cells that tumors recruit to help them grow and evade treatment. Her team investigates cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer to understand how these cells influence tumor behavior and treatment resistance. They are also exploring immune cell clusters that form within tumors, called tertiary lymphoid structures, which may play a role in shaping the body’s response to cancer and immunotherapy.
In addition, her lab examines abdominal adhesion fibrosis, a condition involving internal scar tissue that forms after surgery, which can cause complications during future operations, especially in abdominal cancer patients. Foster’s team identified a gene linked to the complication and, in collaboration with a Stanford biomaterials lab, has developed a small-molecule inhibitor targeting the gene to prevent adhesion formation.
What’s next
Foster is working to establish a hepatic artery infusion program at Stanford. The therapy delivers high-dose chemotherapy directly to liver tumors through a pump implanted in the abdominal wall. It holds promise for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and unresectable bile duct cancer who have limited treatment options.
Equally important to her is mentorship.
“I have benefited from extraordinary mentorship throughout my training,” said Foster. “Now, I am committed to mentoring future surgeons and scientists, helping them develop the skills and confidence to lead the next generation of cancer research and care.”
Back at Stanford, Foster is helping to anchor the future of surgical research and cancer treatment.
