Theresa M. Busch, Ph.D.

Research Professor of Radiation Oncology
Department: Radiation Oncology
Graduate Group Affiliations
Contact information
Radiation Biology Division
Department of Radiation Oncology
University of Pennsylvania
Smilow Center for Translational Research, Room 8-126
3400 Civic Center Blvd., Bldg. 421
Philadelphia, PA 19104-5156
Department of Radiation Oncology
University of Pennsylvania
Smilow Center for Translational Research, Room 8-126
3400 Civic Center Blvd., Bldg. 421
Philadelphia, PA 19104-5156
Office: 215-573-3168
Publications
Education:
B.S. (Biophysics)
University of Scranton, 1993.
Ph.D. (Biophysics)
University of New York at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Division, Buffalo, NY, 1998.
Permanent linkB.S. (Biophysics)
University of Scranton, 1993.
Ph.D. (Biophysics)
University of New York at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Division, Buffalo, NY, 1998.
Description of Research Expertise
RESEARCH INTERESTS:Our primary research focus is the investigation of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of solid malignancies. In PDT, diseased tissue is illuminated by specific wavelengths of visible light after the delivery of a photosensitizer to that tissue. The light-excited photosensitizer interacts with oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species that damage the tissue and its associated stroma, including the supporting vascular network.
Our research centers on the study of biophysical limitations of treatment response to PDT. This includes the study of heterogeneities in the distributions of oxygen, photosensitizing drug, and light. Our studies have found that PDT can create widespread, severe hypoxia during illumination, even in tumor cells immediately adjacent to perfused blood vessels. Furthermore, noninvasive monitoring has shown PDT effect on tumor oxygenation and blood flow during the illumination period to be predictive of an animal’s long-term response to therapy. Such findings are extremely relevant to clinical PDT applications, where significant heterogeneity in hypoxia and photosensitizer distributions among the tumors of PDT patients will contribute to variable therapeutic outcomes. Indeed, we have documented a relationship between biochemical (PSA) response to PDT in prostate cancer patients and levels of photosensitizer drug and light energy in their prostates. Ultimately, in order to improve the clinical therapeutic index and efficacy of PDT, we aim to alter the microenvironment of tumors undergoing treatment as guided by noninvasive monitoring of their response.
Selected Publications
Wang H, Yao L, Zhong L, Fang J, He Q, Busch TM, Cengel K, Qin L.: Marrow adipogenic lineage precursors (MALPs) facilitate bone marrow recovery after chemotherapy. Bone June 2025.Cramer GM, Davis RW 4th, Papasavvas E, Klampatsa A, Miller JM, Carter S, Ikpe R, Yuan M, Widura S, Majumdar RS, McNulty S, Putt M, Kossenkov AV, Montaner LJ, Singhal S, Moon EK, Albelda SM, Cengel KA, Busch TM.: PD-1 Blockade Mitigates Surgery-Induced Immunosuppression and Increases the Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy for Pleural Mesothelioma. Cancer Res Commun 5: 841-856, May 2025.
Verginadis II, Velalopoulou A, Kim MM, Kim K, Paraskevaidis I, Bell B, Oliaei Motlagh SA, Karaj A, Banerjee E, Finesso G, Assenmacher CA, Radaelli E, Lu J, Lin Y, Putt ME, Diffenderfer ES, Guha C, Qin L, Metz JM, Maity A, Cengel KA, Koumenis C, Busch TM.: FLASH proton reirradiation, with or without hypofractionation, reduces chronic toxicity in the normal murine intestine, skin, and bone. Radiother Oncol April 2025.
Sun H, Kim MM, Ong YH, Dimofte A, Singhal S, Busch TM, Cengel KA, Zhu TC.: Comprehensive reanalysis of light fluence distribution in pleural photodynamic therapy using standardized anatomical coordinates. Photochem Photobiol Jan 2025.
Jang B, Amirshaghaghi A, Choi J, Miller J, Issadore DA, Busch TM, Cheng Z, Tsourkas A.: Enhanced Accumulation and Penetration of Magnetic Nanoclusters in Tumors Using an 8-Magnet Halbach Array Leads to Improved Cancer Treatment. ACS Nano 19: 1794-1808, Jan 2025.
Yang W, Johnson M, Lu B, Sourvanos D, Sun H, Dimofte A, Vikas V, Busch TM, Hadfield RH, Wilson BC, Zhu TC.: Correction of Multispectral Singlet Oxygen Luminescent Dosimetry (MSOLD) for Tissue Optical Properties in Photofrin-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy. Antioxidants (Basel) 13: 1458, Nov 2024.
Verginadis II, Velalopoulou A, Kim MM, Kim K, Paraskevaidis I, Bell B, Oliaei Motlagh SA, Karaj A, Banerjee E, Finesso G, Assenmacher CA, Radaelli E, Lu J, Lin Y, Putt ME, Diffenderfer ES, Guha C, Qin L, Metz JM, Maity A, Cengel KA, Koumenis C, Busch TM.: FLASH proton reirradiation, with or without hypofractionation, mitigates chronic toxicity in the normal murine intestine, skin, and bone. bioRxiv Jul 2024.
Chowdhury P, Velalopoulou A, Verginadis II, Morcos G, Loo PE, Kim MM, Motlagh SAO, Shoniyozov K, Diffenderfer ES, Ocampo EA, Putt M, Assenmacher CA, Radaelli E, Lu J, Qin L, Liu H, Leli NM, Girdhani S, Denef N, Vander Stappen F, Cengel KA, Busch TM, Metz JM, Dong L, Lin A, Koumenis C.: Proton FLASH Radiotherapy Ameliorates Radiation-induced Salivary Gland Dysfunction and Oral Mucositis and Increases Survival in a Mouse Model of Head and Neck Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 23: 877-889, Jun 2024.
Chowdhury P, Velalopoulou A, Verginadis II, Morcos G, Loo PE, Kim MM, Motlagh SAO, Shoniyozov K, Diffenderfer ES, Ocampo EA, Putt M, Assenmacher CA, Radaelli E, Lu J, Qin L, Liu H, Leli NM, Girdhani S, Denef N, Vander Stappen F, Cengel KA, Busch TM, Metz JM, Dong L, Lin A, Koumenis C. : Proton FLASH radiotherapy ameliorates radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction and oral mucositis and increases survival in a mouse model of head and neck cancer. Mol Cancer Ther. 9, April 2024 Notes: doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-23-0663. Epub ahead of print.
Cengel KA, Kim MM, Diffenderfer ES, Busch TM. : FLASH Radiotherapy: What Can FLASH's Ultra High Dose Rate Offer to the Treatment of Patients With Sarcoma? Semin Radiat Oncol. 34: 2, Apr 2024 Notes: 218-228. doi: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2024.02.001.