Acquisition of equipment for research to improve treatment decisions for cancer therapy

Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine secured $2.35 million in federal funding to acquire state-of-the-art equipment aimed at advancing cancer research and improving treatment decisions. The funding, provided through the Health Resources and Services Administration, will allow the Kopchick Lab to obtain precise imaging and analytical tools critical for monitoring anti-cancer efficacy, assessing tumor progression and uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie therapy response and resistance.

The Kopchick Lab brings 39 years of global research experience to this effort, including the discovery of Somavert (Pegvisomant for injection) and more recent work identifying novel approaches to enhance the effectiveness of existing cancer therapies. Building on promising preclinical results—particularly for melanoma, liver and pancreatic cancers, with ongoing studies in lung, breast, and bladder cancers—the lab is now poised to deepen mechanistic understanding using enhanced equipment that can resolve tumor heterogeneity and cellular responses to combination therapies. The new instrumentation will support investigations into how Pegvisomant and other agents might synergize with standard treatments to inhibit cancer growth, and will enable more rigorous evaluation of why some tumors resist therapy. Precise imaging and cellular analysis technologies will make it possible to characterize tumor diversity at finer scales, track treatment-induced changes over time, and generate quantitative data to inform treatment selection. These capabilities are essential for translating laboratory discoveries into actionable strategies that can be evaluated in clinical contexts. A central aim of this initiative is to improve access to cutting-edge cancer research and translational capacity in southeast Ohio, a region of Appalachia where cancer incidence and mortality exceed national averages.

By establishing a collaborative network with clinicians in the region, the Kopchick Lab intends to integrate patient tumor sample assessment into its research workflow, facilitating bidirectional translation between laboratory findings and patient care. This local focus is intended both to address the elevated cancer burden in Appalachian counties and to create models for applying mechanistic insights to improve treatment decisions in underserved communities. Beyond regional impact, the upgraded research infrastructure is expected to produce findings that contribute to the broader oncology field, particularly around overcoming therapy resistance and improving the efficacy of existing treatments. With federal support for advanced equipment acquisition, the Kopchick Lab aims to generate high-quality, mechanistic data that can guide development of combination therapies and personalized approaches, ultimately informing clinical decision-making and improving outcomes for patients.