Diehn Lab

The overarching research goal of the Diehn lab is to develop and translate novel diagnostic assays and therapies to improve personalized treatment of cancer patients. Our main focus is on the development and application of liquid biopsy technologies for non-invasive detection, monitoring, and characterization of human cancers, with a special emphasis on lung cancer. Our group is an internationally recognized leader in this field and we collaborate with investigators from around the world to apply our assays to diverse clinical problems and patient cohorts. In parallel the lab also studies primary and acquired resistance to anti-cancer therapies, including radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted agents. We have a particularly interest in overcoming resistance mediated by the NRF2 (NFE2L2)/KEAP1 pathway. Our research projects always begin by identifying an unmet need in the clinical management of cancer patients. We use next generation sequencing, bioinformatics, genome editing, high throughput screening, and preclinical animal models to address our research goals. Discoveries from our group are currently being tested in multiple clinical trials at Stanford and elsewhere to attempt to translate them into the clinic.