Diversity in Life Sciences

Dr. Diana Cittelly is an Associate Professor in the Pathology Department at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Co-leader of the Tumor-Host Interactions program at the University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center. She received a BS in Biology and a MS in biochemistry from the National University of Colombia, and a PhD in Cell Biology from The University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, TX). Her research focuses on understanding how hormones alter the neuro inflammatory milieu during brain metastatic progression and how interactions of targeted therapies with radiation therapy influence metastasis progression and therapy resistance in preclinical models. Her group uses in vitro and in vivo approaches to elucidate the mechanisms whereby cancer cells, glial cells (reactive astrocytes and microglia) and neurons impact brain metastatic progression, neuroinflammation and radiation-induced edema. Ultimately, Dr. Cittelly’s research aims to identify more effective treatment options from brain metastases that can be incorporated to the current standard of care for brain metastases.