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Chang Lung Lee

Associate Professor in Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology
Box 91006, Durham, NC 27708
B220 LSRC Bldg, 308 Research Dr, Box 91006, Durham, NC 27708

Research Interests


Utilizing sophisticated mouse models, we aim to study 1) critical signaling pathways that regulate the regeneration of normal tissues following acute radiation injury as well as the development of delayed fibrosis; 2) cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms underlying the development of radiation-induced cancer.

Ongoing projects:
1. Regeneration of oral mucosal epithelium in response to severe radiation injury (R01DE033404 active)
2. Regeneration of intestinal epithelium in response to severe radiation injury (U01AI186969 active)
3. Radiation-induced intestinal fibrosis (collaboration with Jatin Roper) (U01AI183940 active)
4. Radiation-induced hematologic malignancies and clonal hematopoiesis (R00CA212198 and R03CA249562 completed)

Selected Grants


Mitigation of gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome by promoting clusterin-mediated intestinal regeneration

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029

Radioprotective effect of p53 against oral mucositis

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2028

Sex differences in delayed development of gastrointestinal fibrosis after acute radiation exposure

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2027

The impact of a synbiotic product comprising B. infantis and HMO in a mouse model of irradiation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Prolacta Bioscience, Inc. · 2023 - 2024

Translational Studies in FLASH Particle Radiotherapy

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Pennsylvania · 2022 - 2024

Mitigating the gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome by activating Yap1

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2021 - 2023

Cabinet Radiation Therapy System for Small Animals

EquipmentMajor User · Awarded by North Carolina Biotechnology Center · 2022 - 2023

Inhibition of CaMKK2 sensitizes rectal cancers to radiation therapy

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2022

Minimizing the risk of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms by inhibiting genotoxic stress-induced expansion of leukemia-initiating cells

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2022

Image-Guided Radiation Therapy System for Small Animals

EquipmentMajor User · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2022

Dissecting mechanism(s) by which ionizing radiation promotes clonal expansion of premalignant cells in the thymus

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2020

Mitigating the gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome by blocking calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2019 - 2020

Treatment of gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome with activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2019 - 2020

Development of CaMKK2 inhibitor drug for acute radiation syndrome

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2018 - 2020

Dissecting mechanism(s) by which ionizing radiation promotes clonal expansion of premalignant cells in the thymus

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2016 - 2018

Fellowships, Gifts, and Supported Research


The effect of RAD-100 on a murine model of radiation dermatitis · January 2021 - January 2022 Principal Investigator · Awarded by: Rythera Therapeutics, Inc
Determining the impact of thrombopoietin mimetic (TPOm) on the response of human prostate tumors to radiation therapy · November 2019 - September 2020 Principal Investigator · Awarded by: Janssen Research & Development, LLC
Increasing the therapeutic ratio of pelvic radiotherapy for rectal cancer by blocking calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 · July 2019 - June 2020 Awarded by: Duke Cancer Institute