Research
Dr. Ramos is an expert on cancer signaling and metastasis. Historically, his lab focused on uncovering the underlying mechanisms driving cancer progression, with the goal of applying these insights to drug discovery and development. His research centered on brain, kidney, and skin cancers, and his team worked to develop drug leads aimed at blocking the growth and invasion of these tumors.
During his 30-year career in cancer research, Dr. Ramos has focused on determining how oncogenes activate an orchestrated metastasis program through signaling networks of proteins that alter adhesion. He has used the insights gained from new mechanistic understanding to target growth and metastasis processes with newly developed compounds. He holds two patents in this area and has published many high-impact papers.
Biography
Dr. Joe W. Ramos, PhD became the President and CEO of The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in early 2025. TLI is a leading nonprofit biomedical research organization in Los Angeles dedicated to advancing medical research, delivering on our mission to improve patient outcomes through cutting-edge research, education, and community engagement.
Previously, Dr. Ramos was the Director and CEP of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) and Director of the Louisiana State University LCMC Health Cancer Center in New Orleans. Before his time in Louisiana, he was the Interim Director at the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center (an NCI-designated Cancer Center), where he served more than 10 years in various leadership roles through two renewals of NCI designation.
Dr. Ramos grew up in a small town in Virginia and completed his undergraduate degree and his PhD thereat the University of Virginia Medical School. He went on to do postdoctoral studies at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. Driven by a passion for research that makes a difference in people’s lives, he works to assemble and lead formidable teams to conduct groundbreaking research, deliver exceptional clinical care, foster education, and engage with communities, all dedicated to addressing the unique needs of local populations.
Blog Posts
June 2025 | On The Edge, The Executive Perspective
March 2025 | On The Edge, The Executive Perspective