RESEARCH
Research
Research is a focal point of academic medicine. We have the opportunity, privilege, and responsibility to question the status quo. Push the field and provide the best possible outcomes. I am most passionate about providing options to my patients. My research team shares this passion. You may see them during your visit regarding the various clinical trials we have to share with you. Dr. Liss has been recognized for several awards but attributes much of his success to the fantastic research coordinators, collaborators, financial supporters, and patients.
Awards
Dr. Liss Wins Cancer Center Clinical Investigator of the Year
This award is only given to one researcher every year by the Mays Cancer Center. A significant honor and largely attributed to over 300 patients (and counting) that have enrolled in clinical studies through our team.
Dr. Liss is awarded National Cancer Center Team Leadership Award
This award is presented to researchers at National Cancer Institute designated cancer centers. Dr. Liss if involved in new prostate cancer treatments but also leads our SWOG (formerly Southwest Research Oncology Group) efforts at the cancer center. He is also passionate about providing veterans the same access to clinical trials as the Audie L. Murphy Veterans Hospital and coordinates that effort.
The UT Health San Antonio Presidential Junior Research Scholar Award is presented to a junior researcher that has accomplished significant clinical and/or basic science research within 5 years of being at the institutions. The award is prestigious and validates the work the our team has been performing here in San Antonio.
Dr. Liss is awarded European Urology Clinical Manuscript of the Year
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This award is presented for the best clinical research paper in European Urology. European Urology is the #1 research journal in urology (Impact factor >17). The award was accepted in Barcelona, Spain in March of 2019 at the European Association of Urology Meeting. The manuscript is entitled Metabolic Biosynthesis Pathways Identified from Fecal Microbiome Associated with Prostate Cancer.
Dr. Liss is featured in FUTURE magazine
Current Research Studies
Microbiome and Prostate Cancer
Microbiome refers to the bacteria that live within us and may influence who will get cancer and how you respond to treatment. Our laboratory is focusing on several different microbiome research projects that focus on prostate cancer risk and treatment. I will display some of our research below, but all this science comes at a cost. Our team works tirelessly not only to provide the best experience for our patients but to collect samples and follow up with you regarding our protocols. In order to pay for regulatory approval, sample collection, processing, statistical review all costs money. We actively write grants to help but usually a large part of the getting projects started come from generous people who wish to provide support for our efforts.
We show that there are different types of bacteria that are more common in men who are diagnosed with cancer.
Then we look at what types of functions or processes the bacteria participate in making. We found that those bacteria associated with making natural B vitamins are helpful. This does not mean that taking more B vitamins will work. The B vitamins need to be naturally produced by the bacteria inside the gut. This research sets the stage for using diet and probiotics to alter your bacteria to potentially reduce risk of diseases.
Here we show that our microbiome score performed better than PSA in men undergoing a prostate biopsy. This is only the first step in the research to utilize this information to alter disease.
Prostate Cancer Screening
The SABOR study is a long standing community based prostate cancer screening study initiated by Dr. Ian Thompson in 2001. Dr. Liss assists with seeing patients enrolled in this study and provides additional "off shoot" studies to investigate other specific study questions. We occasionally host symposiums such as the recent symposium on precision medicine hosted on March 2, 2019.
Prostate Active Surveillance Study (PASS)
The PASS study is an observational study of men who have chosen active surveillance as there monitoring strategy for prostate cancer. The study follows men at their usual prostate cancer follow-ups. We collect blood samples and urine samples to test new biomarkers to predict which men will progress (i.e. which cancers get worse) compared to those men who are stable for many years. The study has over 2,000 participants across the united states. PASS is supported by the Canary Foundation and the lead site is the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle.
Prostate Active
Surveillance Study
Prostate MRI study - Testing a Specialized MRI
We term this the Liss Prostate MRI study and is for men about to undergo a prostate biopsy while on active surveillance. We perform a specialized MRI at our research facility at UT Health Research Imaging Institute. While the MRI uses standard equipment, we perform specialized computer processing to enhance the images and provide enhanced detection zones that correspond with Gleason score or prostate cancer aggressiveness. This is currently supported by the National Cancer Institute Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) and the Department of Defense.
Prostate Cancer Recurrence
LOngitudinal Study Prostate cAncer Determinants of RESistance
In this research we are identifying blood biomarkers to predict how men will respond the androgen deprivation therapy. When prostate cancer comes back, physicians will typically start a testosterone lowering agent. We would like to obtain blood samples from men before and after different times during their treatment. We look for something called circulating tumor cells that could survive and land in the bone or lymph nodes and other organs. If we can understand how these cells live (or die) in the blood we can start to target these cells specific to each patient. This is currently supported by the NIH (U51) and a Department of Defense grant with collaborators. Significant funding has been provided by the Los Padres Foundation supported by Dr. Jonny and Joni Reyna in San Antonio, Texas who's fathers were affected by prostate cancer.
eRAPA in Phase 1 Clinical Trail potential treatment for Prostate Cancer
Dr. Liss is lead in the first clinical trail of the new formulation of rapamycin called eRAPA into clinical trials. Our hope is to provide alternative options for men undergoing active surveillance or adding this medication to advanced prostate cancer regimens.
Meet The Clinical Research Team
Allison Wheeler
Research Coordinator
Robert Hudson
Research Coordinator
Ben Besasie
Research Coordinator
Norma Serrano
Research Area Specialist
Rafael Sanchez
Research Area Specialist