Michael A. Carducci, M.D., Associate Professor of Oncology and Urology at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, seeks to develop and evaluate new therapies for patients with urologic malignancies. Novel therapy strategies under development and clinical testing by Dr Carducci and his colleagues include: differentiation or anti-progression therapies, new cytotoxic agents, anti-angiogenic agents, inhibitors of growth regulatory pathways, combination therapy strategies incorporating surgery or radiation therapy, and gene therapy strategies (in conjunction with Dr. Simons). Dr. Carducci's research laboratory focuses on delineating prostate cancer specific, differentiation therapy induced molecular pathways. These molecular pathways may lead to a greater understanding of prostate cancer growth and development and may may provide new therapeutic targets for clinical testing. Clinically, Dr. Carducci conducts Phase I and Phase II clinical trials for patients with prostate, renal, and bladder cancers. Through these clinical trials, efficacy of new agents as well as their safety and tolerability can be evaluated. Few anti-progression agents have been clinically tested so that these trials provide an unique opportunity to explore novel markers of drug bioactivity and to develop drug-specific clinical trial designs and strategies. In addition, Dr. Carducci has an academic and clinical interest in the issues behind and in improving the provision of palliative and end-of-life care.