Gokce Altay Toruner, M.D., Ph.D., FACMG
Department of Hematopathology, Division of Pathology-Lab Medicine Div
About Dr. Gokce A Toruner
I am a physician-scientist, a clinical laboratory geneticist specialized in clinical cytogenetics and clinical molecular genetics. My expertise is on cancer cytogenetics, next generation sequencing of solid tumors and next generation based liquid biopsy.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Hematopathology, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Clinical Interests
Cancer cytogenetics with focus on hematological malignancies; Next generation sequencing of solid tumors and circulating tumor DNA
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2001 | Bilkent University, Ankara, TUR, PHD, Molecular Biology and Genetics |
| 1996 | Hacettepe University, Ankara, TUR, MD, Medicine |
Postgraduate Training
| 2008-2009 | Clinical Fellowship, Clinical Cytogenetics, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ |
| 2005-2008 | Clinical Fellowship, Clinical Molecular Genetics, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ |
| 2001-2005 | Research Fellowship, Genomics, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ |
Board Certifications
| 2009 | American Board of Medical Genetics & Genomics- Clinical Molecular Genetics |
| 2009 | American Board of Medical Genetics & Genomics- Clinical Cytogenetics |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 2013 - 2014
Assistant Professor, Department of Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 2007 - 2013
Instructor, Department of Department of Pediatrics, Division of Center for Human and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 2004 - 2007
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Director, Center for Genetic Testing, Saint Francis Health System, Tulsa, OK, 2015 - 2017
Technical Director, Next Generation Sequencing, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, 2014 - 2015
Associate Director, Cytogenetics & Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, 2014 - 2015
Co-Director, Cytogenetics & Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 2010 - 2014
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Tang Z, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Tang G, Patel K, Medeiros LJ, Toruner GA. Analytical and clinical performance of chromosomal microarrays compared with FISH panel and conventional karyotyping in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leuk Res 108:106616. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34022744.
- Manasanch EE, Berrios D, Fountain E, Claussen CM, Chuang T, Kaufman G, Amini B, Bashir Q, Nieto Y, Qazilbash M, Patel K, Thomas SK, Weber DM, Berkova Z, Toruner G, Lin P, Feng L, Lee HC, Orlowski RZ, Kunacheewa C. Gene expression profiling predicts relapse-free and overall survival in newly diagnosed myeloma patients treated with novel therapies. Br J Haematol 192(4):e115-e120, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33486754.
- Yin W, Liu W, Guo M, Tang Z, Toruner G, Robinson M, Cheng J, Hu S, Medeiros LJ, Tang G. Acquired MET amplification in non-small cell lung cancer is highly associated with the exposure of EGFR inhibitors and may not affect patients' outcome. Exp Mol Pathol 118(r):104572. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33189723.
- Yin W, Cheng J, Tang Z, Toruner G, Hu S, Guo M, Robinson M, Medeiros LJ, Tang G. MET Amplification (MET/CEP7 Ratio = 1.8) Is an Independent Poor Prognostic Marker in Patients With Treatment-naive Non-Small-cell Lung Cancer. Clin Lung Cancer. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33288441.
- Liu W, Burger JA, Xu J, Tang Z, Toruner G, Khanlari M, Medeiros LJ, Tang G. LPL deletion is associated with poorer response to ibrutinib-based treatments and overall survival in TP53-deleted chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Ann Hematol 99(10):2343-2349, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32833105.
- Tang Z, Toruner GA, Tang G, Cameron Yin C, Wang W, Hu S, Thakral B, Wang SA, Miranda RN, Khoury JD, Medeiros LJ. Chronic myeloid leukemia with insertion-derived BCR-ABL1 fusion: redefining complex chromosomal abnormalities by correlation of FISH and karyotype predicts prognosis. Mod Pathol 33(10):2035-2045, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32404952.
- Yilmaz M, Kantarjian HM, Toruner G, Yin CC, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Cortes JE, Issa G, Short NJ, Khoury JD, Garcia-Manero G, Ravandi F, Kadia T, Konopleva M, Wierda WG, Jain N, Estrov Z, Sasaki K, Pierce S, O'Brien SM, Jabbour EJ. Translocation t(1;19)(q23;p13) in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia - a distinct subtype with favorable prognosis. Leuk Lymphoma:1-5. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32955970.
- Xie W, Xu J, Hu S, Li S, Wang W, Cameron Yin C, Toruner G, Tang Z, Jeffrey Medeiros L, Tang G. iAMP21 in acute myeloid leukemia is associated with complex karyotype, TP53 mutation and dismal outcome. Mod Pathol 33(7):1389-1397, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32034282.
- Tang Z, Chen H, Hong L, Tang G, Toruner GA, Wang W, Roy Chowdhuri S, Yin W, Jung HS, Gu J, Routbort MJ, Zhang J, Khoury JD, Medeiros LJ. Inconsistent Intersample ALK FISH Results in Patients with Lung Cancer: Analysis of Potential Causes. Cancers (Basel) 12(7), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32674491.
- Chen Z, Hu S, Wang SA, Konopleva M, Tang Z, Xu J, Li S, Toruner G, Thakral B, Medeiros LJ, Tang G. Chronic myeloid leukemia presenting in lymphoblastic crisis, a differential diagnosis with Philadelphia-positive B-lymphoblastic leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma:1-8. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32700989.
- Toruner GA, Tang Z, Tang G, Medeiros LJ, Hu S. Low ALK FISH positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have shorter progression-free survival after treatment with ALK inhibitors. Cancer Genet 241:57-60, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31870845.
- Saglam O, Tang Z, Tang G, Medeiros LJ, Toruner GA. KAT6A amplifications are associated with shorter progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with endometrial serous carcinoma. PLoS One 15(9):e0238477, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32877461.
- Chen Z, Sun Y, Xie W, Wang SA, Hu S, Li S, Tang Z, Toruner G, Medeiros LJ, Tang G. Is hyperdiploidy a favorable cytogenetics in adults with B-lymphoblastic leukemia?. Cancer Med 8(9):4093-4099, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31173486.
- Tang Z, Tang G, Hu S, Patel KP, Cameron Yin C, Wang W, Lin P, Toruner GA, Ok CY, Gu J, Lu X, Khoury JD, Jeffrey Medeiros L. Data on MECOM rearrangement-driven chromosomal aberrations in myeloid malignancies. Data Brief 24:104025, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31193989.
- Tang Z, Tang G, Hu S, Patel KP, Yin CC, Wang W, Lin P, Toruner GA, Ok CY, Gu J, Lu X, Khoury JD, Medeiros LJ. Deciphering the complexities of MECOM rearrangement-driven chromosomal aberrations. Cancer Genet 233-234:21-31, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31109591.
- Tang G, Hu S, Wang SA, Xie W, Lin P, Xu J, Toruner G, Zhao M, Gu J, Doty M, Li S, Medeiros LJ, Tang Z. t(3;8)(q26.2;q24) Often Leads to MECOM /MYC Rearrangement and is Commonly Associated with Therapy-Related Myeloid Neoplasms and/or Disease Progression. J Mol Diagn 21(2):343-351, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30576868.
- Toruner GA, Thakral B. Relapsed NPM1 mutated acute myeloid leukemia with PDGFRA rearrangement. Blood 133(2):181, 2019. PMID: 30630848.
- Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Toruner GA, Rose S, Bennuri SC, Frye RE. Serum microRNAs in ASD: Association With Monocyte Cytokine Profiles and Mitochondrial Respiration. Front Psychiatry 10:614, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31551826.
- Tang Z, Li Y, Wang W, Yin CC, Tang G, Aung PP, Hu S, Lu X, Toruner GA, Medeiros LJ, Khoury JD. Genomic aberrations involving 12p/ETV6 are highly prevalent in blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasms and might represent early clonal events. Leuk Res 73:86-94, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30248580.
- Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Streck DL, Dermody JJ, Toruner GA. MicroRNA expression changes in association with changes in interleukin-1ß/interleukin10 ratios produced by monocytes in autism spectrum disorders: their association with neuropsychiatric symptoms and comorbid conditions (observational study). J Neuroinflammation 14(1):229, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29178897.
- Cogulu O, Schoumans J, Toruner G, Demkow U, Karaca E, Durmaz AA. Laboratory Genetic Testing in Clinical Practice 2016. Biomed Res Int 2017:5798714, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28133609.
- Li MM, Monzon FA, Biegel JA, Jobanputra V, Laffin JJ, Levy B, Leon A, Miron P, Rossi MR, Toruner G, Alvarez K, Doho G, Dougherty MJ, Hu X, Kash S, Streck D, Znoyko I, Hagenkord JM, Wolff DJ. A multicenter, cross-platform clinical validation study of cancer cytogenomic arrays. Cancer Genet 208(11):525-36, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26454669.
- Cogulu O, Schoumans J, Toruner G, Demkow U, Karaca E, Durmaz AA. Laboratory genetic testing in clinical practice 2014. Biomed Res Int 2015:574798, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25879026.
- Durmaz AA, Karaca E, Demkow U, Toruner G, Schoumans J, Cogulu O. Evolution of genetic techniques: past, present, and beyond. Biomed Res Int 2015:461524, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25874212.
- Saglam O, Dai F, Husain S, Zhan Y, Toruner G, Haines GK. Matricellular protein CCN1 (CYR61) expression is associated with high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ. Hum Pathol 45(6):1269-75, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24767859.
- Saglam O, Husain S, Toruner G. AKT, EGFR, C-ErbB-2, and C-kit expression in uterine carcinosarcoma. Int J Gynecol Pathol 32(5):493-500, 2013. PMID: 23896716.
- Tang Z, Berlin DS, Toji L, Toruner GA, Beiswanger C, Kulkarni S, Martin CL, Emanuel BS, Christman M, Gerry NP. A dynamic database of microarray-characterized cell lines with various cytogenetic and genomic backgrounds. G3 (Bethesda) 3(7):1143-9, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23665875.
- Fine DH, Toruner GA, Velliyagounder K, Sampathkumar V, Godboley D, Furgang D. A lactotransferrin single nucleotide polymorphism demonstrates biological activity that can reduce susceptibility to caries. Infect Immun 81(5):1596-605, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23460521.
- Cogulu O, Alanay Y, Toruner GA. Laboratory genetic testing in clinical practice. Biomed Res Int 2013:532897, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23936813.
- Toruner GA, Dermody J, Tolias P. Chromosomal microarrays: influential players in the diagnosis of developmental disorders. Per Med 9(2):167-169, 2012. PMID: 29758808.
- Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Streck DL, Toruner GA. Immunological characterization and transcription profiling of peripheral blood (PB) monocytes in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and specific polysaccharide antibody deficiency (SPAD): case study. J Neuroinflammation 9:4, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22226452.
- Bagci G, Cetin GO, Semerci N, Toruner GA, Cinbis M. Terminal 14q deletion with unbalanced t(Y;14)(q12;q32) translocation. Clin Dysmorphol 21(1):37-41, 2012. PMID: 22143350.
- Chetcuti A, Aktas S, Mackie N, Ulger C, Toruner G, Alkan M, Catchpoole D. Expression profiling reveals MSX1 and EphB2 expression correlates with the invasion capacity of Wilms tumors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 57(6):950-7, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21387540.
- Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Streck DL, Toruner GA. Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who exhibit chronic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and marked fluctuation of behavioral symptoms exhibit distinct innate immune abnormalities and transcriptional profiles of peripheral blood (PB) monocytes. J Neuroimmunol 238(1-2):73-80, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21803429.
- Tolias P, Toruner GA. Clinical utility of DNA testing. Per Med 7(5):461-464, 2010. PMID: 29776239.
- Zavadil J, Ye H, Liu Z, Wu J, Lee P, Hernando E, Soteropoulos P, Toruner GA, Wei JJ. Profiling and functional analyses of microRNAs and their target gene products in human uterine leiomyomas. PLoS One 5(8):e12362, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20808773.
- Yasar D, Karadogan I, Alanoglu G, Akkaya B, Luleci G, Salim O, Timuragaoglu A, Toruner GA, Berker-Karauzum S. Array comparative genomic hybridization analysis of adult acute leukemia patients. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 197(2):122-9, 2010. PMID: 20193845.
- Scott SA, Cohen N, Brandt T, Toruner G, Desnick RJ, Edelmann L. Detection of low-level mosaicism and placental mosaicism by oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization. Genet Med 12(2):85-92, 2010. PMID: 20084009.
- Mittal KR, Chen F, Wei JJ, Rijhvani K, Kurvathi R, Streck D, Dermody J, Toruner GA. Molecular and immunohistochemical evidence for the origin of uterine leiomyosarcomas from associated leiomyoma and symplastic leiomyoma-like areas. Mod Pathol 22(10):1303-11, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19633649.
- Toruner GA, Kurvathi R, Sugalski R, Shulman L, Twersky S, Pearson PG, Tozzi R, Schwalb MN, Wallerstein R. Copy number variations in three children with sudden infant death. Clin Genet 76(1):63-8, 2009. PMID: 19659761.
- Hameed M, Ulger C, Yasar D, Limaye N, Kurvathi R, Streck D, Benevenia J, Patterson F, Dermody JJ, Toruner GA. Genome profiling of chondrosarcoma using oligonucleotide array-based comparative genomic hybridization. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 192(2):56-9, 2009. PMID: 19596254.
- Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Törüner GA, Vinekar K, Feng D, Fitzgerald-Bocarsly P. Monozygous twins with a microdeletion syndrome involving BTK, DDP1, and two other genes; evidence of intact dendritic cell development and TLR responses. Eur J Pediatr 167(3):317-21, 2008. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17520285.
- Wallerstein RJ, Brooks SS, Streck DL, Kurvathi R, Toruner GA. Exclusion of APC and VHL gene deletions by array-based comparative hybridization in two patients with microscopically visible chromosomal aberrations. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 178(2):151-4, 2007. PMID: 17954272.
- Zherebtsov MM, Klein RT, Aviv H, Toruner GA, Hanna NN, Brooks SS. Further delineation of interstitial chromosome 6 deletion syndrome and review of the literature. Clin Dysmorphol 16(3):135-40, 2007. PMID: 17551325.
- Malfitano AM, Toruner GA, Gazzerro P, Laezza C, Husain S, Eletto D, Orlando P, De Petrocellis L, Terskiy A, Schwalb M, Vitale E, Bifulco M. Arvanil and anandamide up-regulate CD36 expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Immunol Lett 109(2):145-54, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17360047.
- Toruner GA, Streck DL, Schwalb MN, Dermody JJ. An oligonucleotide based array-CGH system for detection of genome wide copy number changes including subtelomeric regions for genetic evaluation of mental retardation. Am J Med Genet A 143A(8):824-9, 2007. PMID: 17366576.
- Onat OE, Tez M, Ozçelik T, Törüner GA. MDM2 T309G polymorphism is associated with bladder cancer. Anticancer Res 26(5A):3473-5, 2006. PMID: 17094469.
- Ozcelik T, Uz E, Akyerli CB, Bagislar S, Mustafa CA, Gursoy A, Akarsu N, Toruner G, Kamel N, Gullu S. Evidence from autoimmune thyroiditis of skewed X-chromosome inactivation in female predisposition to autoimmunity. Eur J Hum Genet 14(6):791-7, 2006. PMID: 16596118.
- Toruner GA, Ulger C, Alkan M, Galante AT, Rinaggio J, Wilk R, Tian B, Soteropoulos P, Hameed MR, Schwalb MN, Dermody JJ. Association between gene expression profile and tumor invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 154(1):27-35, 2004. PMID: 15381369.
- Ulger C, Toruner GA, Alkan M, Mohammed M, Damani S, Kang J, Galante A, Aviv H, Soteropoulos P, Tolias PP, Schwalb MN, Dermody JJ. Comprehensive genome-wide comparison of DNA and RNA level scan using microarray technology for identification of candidate cancer-related genes in the HL-60 cell line. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 147(1):28-35, 2003. PMID: 14580768.
- Topçu M, Akyerli C, Sayi A, Törüner GA, Koçoglu SR, Cimbis M, Ozçelik T. Somatic mosaicism for a MECP2 mutation associated with classic Rett syndrome in a boy. Eur J Hum Genet 10(1):77-81, 2002. PMID: 11896459.
- Törüner GA, Uçar A, Tez M, Cetinkaya M, Ozen H, Ozçelik T. P53 codon 72 polymorphism in bladder cancer--no evidence of association with increased risk or invasiveness. Urol Res 29(6):393-5, 2001. PMID: 11828992.
- Törüner GA, Akyerli C, Uçar A, Aki T, Atsu N, Ozen H, Tez M, Cetinkaya M, Ozçelik T. Polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase genes (GSTM1, GSTP1 and GSTT1) and bladder cancer susceptibility in the Turkish population. Arch Toxicol 75(8):459-64, 2001. PMID: 11757669.
Editorials
- Toruner GA, Tolias P. Research Highlights: Copy-number variation in patients with developmental delay and autistic spectrum disorders underscored by targeted exonic array CGH. Personalized Medicine 10(1):17-18, 2013. PMID: 29783470.