Program Co-leader, Women's Cancer Research Program
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health
Interim Division Director, Gynecologic Oncology

downs008@umn.edu
612-626-3111 — office
Preferred contact method: e-mail

Dr. Downs's clinical profile
(University of Minnesota Physicians Web site)

Dr. Downs received his bachelor's degree in biology from Penn State University in 1990. He then attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He did his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Magee-Womens Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where he also served as administrative chief resident.

Following residency he completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of Minnesota, where he also received a master's degree in clinical research. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health as well as interim director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology.

Among his many awards, he was one of only ten recipients in 2002 of the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Minority Medical Faculty Development Award. This program supports his research investigating the role of human papillomavirus in the growth and spread of cervical cancer and developing new therapeutic options for cervical cancer. Other research areas include novel treatment programs for recurrent ovarian cancer, and therapeutic and preventative HPV vaccines.

Research Interests

• Preventative and therapeutic HPV vaccination
• Health outcome disparities as they relate to cervical cancer and its prevention
• Clinical trials for the treatment of recurrent ovarian and cervical cancer
• Quality of life of cancer survivors, particularly prevention and treatment of lymphedema and bone health

Selected Publications

Downs LS Jr, Lima PH, Bliss RL, Blomquist CH. Cathepsins B and D activity and activity ratios in normal ovaries, benign ovarian neoplasms, and epithelial ovarian cancer. J Soc Gynecol Investig. 2005;12(7):539-44.

Jonson AL, Bliss RL, Truskinovsky A, Judson P, Argenta P, Carson L, Dusenbery K, Downs LS Jr. Clinical features and outcomes of uterine and ovarian carcinosarcoma. Gynecol Oncol. 2006;100(3):561-4.

Chura JC, Brooker D, Downs LS Jr. Adenocarcinoma of the urinary bladder presenting as locally advanced endometrial carcinoma. Case report and review of the literature. Gynecol Oncol. 2006;103(1):336-41.

Argenta PA, Ghebre R, Dusenbery KE, Chen MD, Judson PL, Downs LS Jr, Carson LF. Radiation therapy with concomitant and adjuvant cisplatin and paclitaxel in high-risk cervical cancer. Long-term follow-up. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2006;27(3):231-5.

Chura JC, Truskinovsky AM, Judson PL, Johnson L, Geller MA, Downs LS Jr. Positron emission tomography and leiomyomas. Clinicopathologic analysis of 3 cases of PET scan-positive leiomyomas and literature review. Gynecol Oncol. 2007;104(1):247-52.

Chura JC, Van Iseghem K, Downs LS Jr, Carson LF, Judson PL. Bevacizumab plus cyclophosphamide in heavily pretreated patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2007;107(2):326-30.

Chura JC, Downs LS Jr. Positron emission tomography and uterine leiomyomas. Authors' response. Gynecol Oncol. 2007; Oct 23 [Epub ahead of print]

Bradley WH, Lima PH, Rodgers L, Blomquist CH, Downs LS. Endometrial carcinoma expresses an increased cathepsin B/D ratio. Gynecol Oncol. 2008;108(1):84-9.

Downs LS Jr, Judson PL, Argenta PA, Ghebre R, Geller MA, Bliss RL, Boente MP, Nahhas WA, Abu-Ghazaleh SZ, Chen MD, Carson LF. A prospective randomized trial of thalidomide with topotecan compared with topotecan alone in women with recurrent epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Cancer 2008;112(2):331-9.