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Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, MD, PhD

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Affiliate Faculty, Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Regular Member, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX

Research Interests

  1. Molecular biology of colorectal cancer and the adenoma to carcinoma sequence.
    My major field of interest is the molecular biology involved in the carcinogenic progress of colorectal cancer which is illustrated by the adenoma to carcinoma progression model. A more detailed understanding of the molecular biology of this sequence will provide us with opportunities to develop targeted therapeutic interventions at different steps of the progress.
  2. Microsatellite instable colorectal cancers and Lynch Syndrome-related tumors.
    The most frequent genetic syndrome predisposing to colorectal cancer is the Lynch Syndrome.  My research interest is focused on those patients diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome with the main goal of developing chemopreventive interventions for this high-risk population. In addition, a better understanding of the molecular biology of tumors arising on the basis of this genetic condition will provide us with insights on the sporadic version of Microsatellite Instable colorectal cancers. It is known that approximately 15% of sporadic colorectal cancers display Microsatellite Instability from the epigenetic silencing of MLH1. Therefore, there is also a potential impact on developing targeted therapeutic strategies for this colorectal tumor subtype.
  3. Targeted Chemoprevention and Therapeutics.
    I have participated in several clinical trials with targeted therapies, mainly against the EGFR and the mTOR pathway, but also with other small molecules targeting different kinases. This experience has provided me with the background to develop research projects that look for biomarkers to predict response using targeted therapies and implement them in cancer chemoprevention studies.

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1155 Pressler St
Unit Number: 1360
Houston, TX 77030
Room Number: CPB6.3526

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2009 University Miguel Hernandez, Alicante, Spain, PHD, Cum Laude, Honors, Molecular Biology
2007 Spanish National Cancer Center (CNIO), Madrid, Spain, MS, Molecular Oncology
2002 University Miguel Hernandez Medical School, Alicante, Spain, MD, Medicine

Postgraduate Training

12/2009-12/2011 Clinical Fellowship, Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Francis P. Worden, MD
7/2007-11/2009 Research Fellowship, Molecular Medicine & Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Stephen B. Gruber, MD, PhD, MPH
6/2004-6/2007 Clinical Residency, Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain, Javier Cortes, MD, PhD
6/2003-6/2004 Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain, Javier Cortes, MD, PhD

Honors and Awards

2011-2012 Young Investigator Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology
2011 Extraordinary Award for PhD dissertations, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
2010 Excellence in Research Award, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, University of Michigan
2009 Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology
2009 Outstanding Research Award, Internal Medicine Research Symposium, University of Michigan
2008 Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology
2007-2009 'la Caixa' Fellowship, 'la Caixa' Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
2002 Academic Grant for Undergraduate Students, Department of Anatomy & Histology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Vilar E, Grünwald V, Schöffski P, Singer H, Salazar R, Iglesias JL, Casado E, Cullell-Young M, Baselga J, Tabernero J. A phase I dose-escalating study of ES-285, a marine sphingolipid-derived compound, with repeat dose administration in patients with advanced solid tumors. Invest New Drugs 30(1):299-305, 2/2012. e-Pub 9/2010. PMID: 20820909.
2. Vilar E, Tabernero J, Gruber SB. Micromanaging the classification of colon cancer: the role of the microRNAome. Clin Cancer Res 17(23):7207-9, 2011, 12/2011. e-Pub 10/2011. PMCID: PMCPMC3422018.
3. Vilar E, Bartnik CM, Stenzel SL, Raskin L, Ahn J, Moreno V, Mukherjee B, Iniesta MD, Morgan MA, Rennert G, Gruber SB. MRE11 deficiency increases sensitivity to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition in microsatellite unstable colorectal cancers. Cancer Res 71(7):2632-42, 2011, 4/2011. e-Pub 2/2011. PMCID: PMCPMC3407272.
4. Vilar E, Perez-Garcia J, Tabernero J. Pushing the envelope in the mTOR pathway: the second generation of inhibitors. Mol Cancer Ther 10(3):395-403, 2011, 3/2011. e-Pub 1/2011. PMCID: PMCPMC3413411.
5. Garcia-Carbonero R, Capdevila J, Crespo-Herrero G, Díaz-Pérez JA, Martínez Del Prado MP, Alonso Orduña V, Sevilla-García I, Villabona-Artero C, Beguiristain-Gómez A, Llanos-Muñoz M, Marazuela M, Alvarez-Escola C, Castellano D, Vilar E, Jiménez-Fonseca P, Teulé A, Sastre-Valera J, Benavent-Viñuelas M, Monleon A, Salazar R. Incidence, patterns of care and prognostic factors for outcome of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs): results from the National Cancer Registry of Spain (RGETNE). Ann Oncol 21(9):1794-803, 2010, 9/2010. e-Pub 2/2010. PMID: 20139156.
6. Vilar E, Gruber SB. Microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer-the stable evidence. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 7(3):153-62, 2010, 3/2010. e-Pub 2/2010. PMCID: PMCPMC3427139.
7. Vilar E, Mukherjee B, Kuick R, Raskin L, Misek DE, Taylor JM, Giordano TJ, Hanash SM, Fearon ER, Rennert G, Gruber SB. Gene expression patterns in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancers highlight the potential therapeutic role of inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Clin Cancer Res 15(8):2829-39, 2009, 4/2009. e-Pub 4/2009. PMCID: PMCPMC3425357.
8. Vilar E, Scaltriti M, Balmaña J, Saura C, Guzman M, Arribas J, Baselga J, Tabernero J. Microsatellite instability due to hMLH1 deficiency is associated with increased cytotoxicity to irinotecan in human colorectal cancer cell lines. Br J Cancer 99(10):1607-12, 2008, 11/2008. e-Pub 10/2008. PMCID: PMC2584960.
9. Durán I, Salazar R, Casanovas O, Arrazubi V, Vilar E, Siu LL, Yao J, Tabernero J. New drug development in digestive neuroendocrine tumors. Ann Oncol 18(8):1307-13, 8/2007. e-Pub 2/2007. PMID: 17301070.
10. Vilar E, Salazar R, Pérez-García J, Cortes J, Oberg K, Tabernero J. Chemotherapy and role of the proliferation marker Ki-67 in digestive neuroendocrine tumors. Endocr Relat Cancer 14(2):221-32, 2007, 6/2007. PMID: 17639039.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Developing Targeted Therapies for Microsatellite Instable Colorectal Cancers
Funding Source: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 1/1/2012 - 12/30/2012
 
Title: Discovering new drugs to target Microsatellite Instable Colorectal Cancer using connections between gene expression profiles
Funding Source: Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) CTSA Pilot and Collaborative Grant Program
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Gruber
Duration: 2008 - 2009

Last updated: 3/13/2013