University of Wisconsin–Madison
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research profile

Dr. Andrew Baschnagel’s Research

My research objective is to translate novel findings from the laboratory into the clinic with the goal of improving treatment for cancer patients.

Precision medicine in radiation oncology involves individually optimizing and tailoring radiation treatments to improve outcomes and decrease side effects. This can be done by selectively combining molecular targeted drugs with radiation to improve the therapeutic ratio and using biomarkers to predict radiation tumor and normal tissue response. These are areas that my research focuses on.

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Translational research in lung cancer brain metastases

Current efforts are focused on understanding the molecular basis for the development and progression of NSCLC brain metastases as well as developing and evaluating novel therapeutic strategies for NSCLC brain metastases. This includes the development of patient derived xenografts (PDXs) from patients with NSCLC as well as investigating molecular targets for radiosensitization. Other ongoing work involves RNA sequencing of matched NSCLC primary tumors and associated brain metastases and investigating biomarkers of treatment response.  This work is in collaboration with Dr. Randy Kimple, MD ,PhD.

Novel approaches to treating MET altered NSCLC

This includes translational work focused on targeting the MET receptor in NSCLC, specifically combining radiation with MET directed therapy and the development and evaluation of novel MET-directed antibodies as theranostic agents. Working in collaboration with Dr. Aaron Lebeau, PhD, we have developed potent MET-binding antibodies from camelids and sharks.

Functional Lung Avoidance Radiotherapy

This research aims to advance functional lung–avoidance techniques to reduce pulmonary toxicity during thoracic radiation. Using 4DCT to identify highly ventilated lung regions, this planning strategy minimizes radiation to functional tissue, lowering the risk of radiation-induced damage while maintaining tumor control. In collaboration with John Bayouth, PhD, we have completed the first randomized phase II clinical trial evaluating functional lung avoidance radiotherapy (NCT02843568). This study demonstrated that this strategy significantly decreases the risk of radiation-induced pneumonitis in patients receiving standard fractionated radiotherapy. We are currently developing a follow-up phase III study.

Advancing the care of patients with thoracic malignancies and brain metastases

I have been involved in and lead multiple clinical studies that have helped improve patient care. These studies have been focused on non-small cell lung cancer and include large prospective clinical trials.