Before working at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Amanda Clark completed her PhD in cancer therapy and immunology at Griffith University, Australia. She served as a postdoctoral and research associate studying metastatic tumor biology at Pitt from 2013-2019. Dr. Clark currently works as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology where her current research interests include:

• Metastatic cancer biology
• Models of metastasis
• Promoters of metastatic dormancy
• Drivers of metastatic emergence
• Extracellular vesicles
• Microphysiological systems (organ-on-a-chip)
• Therapeutic resistance

The Clark Lab research program focuses on liver metastasis. There investigations focus on determining the operative molecular underpinnings of metastatic dormancy and recurrence within the liver in order to apply such findings to identify new therapeutic targets to prevent recurrence and turn metastatic disease into a chronic, manageable disease. Dr. Clark and her team utilize a novel all-human ex vivo 3D hepatic microphysiological system (MPS) to study this evolving metastatic phenomenon. This MPS has not only enabled the recreation of dormant-emergent metastatic cancer progression as observed in vivo but also the identification of mechanisms, biomarkers, and new therapeutic opportunities to target the various stages of metastasis.

View a list of Dr. Clark’s publications here.