Aria Vaishnavi
Department of Genetics, Division of Discovery Science
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Faculty, GSBS, Cancer Biology and Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Assistant Professor, Thoracic-Head & Neck Med Onc, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2017 | University of Colorado Denver Anschutz, Aurora, Colorado, US, Cancer Biology, PhD |
| 2007 | Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, US, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BS |
| 2011 | Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, US, Biotechnology, MS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2017-2022 | Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah |
Experience & Service
Other Professional Positions
Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Research Association Treasurer and Board Member, CMTRA, 2022 - Present
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Faculty Mentor, AMBR Faculty Mentor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Leader, Cancer Biology Seminar Series Organizer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - 2024
Editorial Activities
Associate Editor, NPJ Nature Precision Oncology, 2022 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | University of Texas Rising Science Technology Acquisition and Retention Recipient (STARs) |
| 2022 | Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Scholar of Cancer Research |
| 2021 | Lung Cancer Research Foundation Pilot Award |
| 2020 | National Cancer Institute Pathway to Independence Early K99 Fellowship Award Recipient |
| 2020 | AACR Scholar-in-Training Award |
| 2019 | NIGMS Scholarship CSHL Single Cell Analysis Course |
| 2018 | National Cancer Institute National Research Service Award F32 recipient |
| 2017 | Huntsman Cancer Institute Susan Cooper Jones Endowed Fellowship in Cancer Biology |
| 2014 | University of Colorado Cancer Center Lung Head and Neck Cancer Program Retreat Best Poster Award Winner |
| 2014 | Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer Conference Scholarship and Travel Grant Winner |
| 2013 | University of Colorado Annual Student Research Day Best Poster Winner |
| 2013 | Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer Conference Poster Session Winner |
| 2013 | University of Colorado Cancer Center Scholarship Recipient to attend the Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer Conference |
| 2011 | AAAS/Science Magazine Program for Excellence in Science Award Winner |
| 2011 | Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Un-Sung Hero Award |
| 2007 | Washington State University Undergraduate Research Award |
Professional Memberships
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2024 - Present |
| Title: | Institutional Fundraising Research Program |
| Funding Source: | N/A |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | The urgent need for translational studies of BRAF mutations beyond V600E |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RR220062 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | NIH/NCI |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R00CA246084 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Vaishnavi_Equipment |
| Funding Source: | University of Texas STARS |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 125169 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | UT-Stars Award |
| Funding Source: | UT STARS |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Elucidating the Molecular Mechanisms of Radon-Induced Lung Cancer through a Novel Mouse Model |
| Funding Source: | Lung Cancer Research Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2021-Vaishnavi-1856 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Molecular Characterization of Radon-Induced Lung Cancer in Never-Smoker Patients and PDX models |
| Funding Source: | Huntsman Cancer Institute Lung DOT |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 35064 (Supported under Huntsman Cancer Foundation) |
| Date: | 2020 - 2022 |
| Title: | NIH/NCI |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | K99CA246084 |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Wu, CP, Vaishnavi, A. Another Slice of the Pie Uncovered. Cancer Research 85(17):3186-3188, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40891208.
- Vaishnavi A, Juan J, Jacob M, Stehn C, Gardner EE, Scherzer MT, Schuman S, Van Veen JE, Murphy B, Hackett CS, Dupuy AJ, Chmura SA, van der Weyden L, Newberg JY, Liu A, Mann K, Rust AG, Weiss WA, Kinsey CG, Adams DJ, Grossmann A, Mann MB, McMahon M. Transposon Mutagenesis Reveals RBMS3 Silencing as a Promoter of Malignant Progression of BRAFV600E-Driven Lung Tumorigenesis. Cancer Res 82(22):4261-4273, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36112789.
- Vaishnavi A, Scherzer MT, Kinsey CG, Parkman GL, Truong A, Ghazi P, Schuman S, Battistone B, Garrido-Laguna I, McMahon M. Inhibition of MEK1/2 Forestalls the Onset of Acquired Resistance to Entrectinib in Multiple Models of NTRK1-Driven Cancer. Cell Rep 32(5):107994, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32755586.
- Vaishnavi A, Schubert L, Rix U, Marek LA, Le AT, Keysar SB, Glogowska MJ, Smith MA, Kako S, Sumi NJ, Davies KD, Ware KE, Varella-Garcia M, Haura EB, Jimeno A, Heasley LE, Aisner DL, Doebele RC. EGFR Mediates Responses to Small-Molecule Drugs Targeting Oncogenic Fusion Kinases. Cancer Res 77(13):3551-3563, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28428274.
- Doebele RC, Davis LE, Vaishnavi A, Le AT, Estrada-Bernal A, Keysar S, Jimeno A, Varella-Garcia M, Aisner DL, Li Y, Stephens PJ, Morosini D, Tuch BB, Fernandes M, Nanda N, Low JA. An Oncogenic NTRK Fusion in a Patient with Soft-Tissue Sarcoma with Response to the Tropomyosin-Related Kinase Inhibitor LOXO-101. Cancer Discov 5(10):1049-57, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26216294.
- Hrustanovic G, Olivas V, Pazarentzos E, Tulpule A, Asthana S, Blakely CM, Okimoto RA, Lin L, Neel DS, Sabnis A, Flanagan J, Chan E, Varella-Garcia M, Aisner DL, Vaishnavi A, Ou SH, Collisson EA, Ichihara E, Mack PC, Lovly CM, Karachaliou N, Rosell R, Riess JW, Doebele RC, Bivona TG. RAS-MAPK dependence underlies a rational polytherapy strategy in EML4-ALK-positive lung cancer. Nat Med 21(9):1038-47, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26301689.
- Vaishnavi A, Capelletti M, Le AT, Kako S, Butaney M, Ercan D, Mahale S, Davies KD, Aisner DL, Pilling AB, Berge EM, Kim J, Sasaki H, Park S, Kryukov G, Garraway LA, Hammerman PS, Haas J, Andrews SW, Lipson D, Stephens PJ, Miller VA, Varella-Garcia M, Jänne PA, Doebele RC. Oncogenic and drug-sensitive NTRK1 rearrangements in lung cancer. Nat Med 19(11):1469-1472, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24162815.
- Fox RM, Vaishnavi A, Maruyama R, Andrew DJ. Organ-specific gene expression: the bHLH protein Sage provides tissue specificity to Drosophila FoxA. Development 140(10):2160-71, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23578928.
- Davies KD, Mahale S, Astling DP, Aisner DL, Le AT, Hinz TK, Vaishnavi A, Bunn PA, Heasley LE, Tan AC, Camidge DR, Varella-Garcia M, Doebele RC. Resistance to ROS1 inhibition mediated by EGFR pathway activation in non-small cell lung cancer. PLoS One 8(12):e82236, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24349229.
Review Articles
- Planchard D, Sanborn RE, Negrao MV, Vaishnavi A, Smit EF. BRAF(V600E)-mutant metastatic NSCLC: disease overview and treatment landscape. NPJ Precis Oncol 8(1):90, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38627602.
- Vaishnavi A, Kinsey CG, McMahon M. Preclinical Modeling of Pathway-Targeted Therapy of Human Lung Cancer in the Mouse. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 14(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37788883.
- Vaishnavi A, Le AT, Doebele RC. TRKing down an old oncogene in a new era of targeted therapy. Cancer Discov 5(1):25-34, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25527197.
Other Articles
- Vaishnavi, A, Kinsey, CG, McMahon, M Corrigendum. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine 15(1), 2025. PMID: 39510796.
- Planchard D, Sanborn RE, Negrao MV, Vaishnavi A, Smit EF Author Correction: BRAF(V600E)-mutant metastatic NSCLC: disease overview and treatment landscape. NPJ Precis Oncol 8(1):142, 2024. PMID: 39009670.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 22, 2026