Spatial biology with Dr. Jared Burks
What is spatial biology? See how different cell types in our tissues are interconnected.
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Appointment InformationDepartment of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy, Division of Cancer Medicine
I started my career in science as a research assistant in Dr. Max D. Summers’ laboratory. We studied protein trafficking in baculovirus-infected cells where I became familiar with, and interested in, spinning-disk confocal imaging. This led to my enrollment in several imaging courses, and ultimately my entry into graduate school and back to Dr. Summers’ laboratory. During my PhD training, Dr. Summers placed me in charge of the confocal microscope, where I trained every user and developed imaging assays as a basic core service. Ultimately, I ended up identifying importin-alpha-16, which is a shuttling protein involved in moving integral membrane proteins through the lateral channel of the nuclear pore complex. This was based in large part on my previous imaging experiments with BV/ODV E26, which was identified as a viral homolog to the eukaryotic importin-alpha-16. After completing my PhD, I joined Dr. Xing Li Wang’s group at Baylor, where I continued to study viral protein trafficking in infected cells. In doing so, I also learned how to interact with people from other cultures and how to collaborate on a larger scale. I also mastered extensive problem-solving skills that allowed me to determine where technical errors were made in our research efforts, which facilitated in my resolving them quickly and efficiently. I found that I enjoyed this type of technical problem solving, albeit I was not able to perform as much imaging work as I had anticipated. Therefore, after my postdoctoral work, I sought employment in a shared resource facility that specialized in imaging. I secured a position with the Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core Facility at MD Anderson Cancer Center where I have flourished. In fact, I am now an Associate Professor and Co-Director of the facility. I have brought eight color imaging to the Institution through the use of FFPE sampling and multispectral microscopy. I have also introduced and established mass cytometry, CyTOF, (imaging and suspension) to our Institution. The latest iteration of CyTOF technology is imaging-based. It uses laser ablation to free material from the slide for analysis through the CyTOF. My other focus is on live cell spinning disk confocal imaging. This has been a need for some time among MD Anderson Cancer Center researchers. Through my actions with these technologies I sought fund and was awarded an NIH R50 research specialist grant. I continue to focus on these technologies as we examine the spatial distribution of cells in tissues of the tumor microenvironment. I wish to understand the functional interactions that occur in unique spatial niche. My strengths have always been, and continue to be, that I am technically trained to identify, adapt, and utilize emerging technologies to answer critical questions in cutting-edge research here at MD Anderson Cancer Center and elsewhere in the scientific community. We tackle these problems every day at the Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core Facility at MD Anderson, and we jointly develop solutions with our research collaborators to produce outstanding scientific discoveries.
Director, Flow Cytometry & Cell Imaging Core Facility, Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancies, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Associate Director of Shared Resources CCSG, Department of CCSG, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Professor, Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancies, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Spatial imaging
Mass Cytometry
Imaging Mass Cytometry
Live cell imaging
Confocal Imaging
2005 | Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, US, Biology, Ph.D |
1995 | Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, US, Molecular Biology, BS |
1995 | Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, US, Pre-Professional Biology, BS |
2006-2007 | Postdoctoral Associate, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
Director, Flow Cytometry & Cellular Imaging Core Facility, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2025 - Present
Professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2025 - Present
Associate Director Shared Resources CCSG, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2024 - Present
Professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2021 - 2025
Industry Advisory Board Member, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 2020 - Present
Associate Professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2018 - 2021
Assistant Professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ~ Department of Leukemia, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2018
Co-Director, Flow Cytometry & Cell Imaging Core Facility, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2025
Research Scientist, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2007 - 2010
Postdoctoral Associate, Baylor College of Medicine - Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery - Michael DeBakey Department of Surgery, Houston, TX, 2006 - 2007
Research Assistant, The Max D. Summers Laboratory, Department of Entomology, College Station, TX, 1995 - 1998
Necropsy Assistant, Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Pathology Laboratory, Little Rock, AR, 1993
Laboratory Assistant, Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biology, Melbourne, FL, 1990 - 1994
Member, Digital Pathology Workforce, 2020 - Present
Member, Alternate Technologies for COVID Task Force, 2020
Committee Member, Basic Science/Laboratory Research Recovery Plan Committee, 2020 - 2020
Member, TMC3 Science Think Tank, 2020
Member, DIY PPE Task Force, 2020 - 2020
Committee Member, Research Storage Planning & Governance Committee, 2014 - Present
Member, SharePoint Advisory Team, 2013 - 2015
Member, Research IT Steering Committee, 2012 - 2013
2004 | American Society of Virology, 2004 Annual Meeting, McGill University, Montreal, Canada |
2003 | Entomology Graduate Student Forum Presentation Award, Texas A&M University |
Date: | 2025 - 2028 |
Title: | Targeting a driver kinase PCTK1 synergizes with ferroptosis inducer to combat breast cancer brain metastasis |
Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00022875 |
Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
Title: | Elucidating roles of the CD24 ligand in early lung cancer development, immune evasion and response to KRAS-targeted therapy |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | FP00023340 |
Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
Title: | Elucidating roles of the CD24 ligand in lung cancer development, immune escape and response to immune-based therapy |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | PA-20-185 |
Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
Title: | Deciphering the role of GFPT2 in radiation-induced cardiovascular disease |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2025 - 2028 |
Title: | Elucidating the role of CD24 signaling in KRAS-mutant lung cancer development and response to KRAS-targeted therapy |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Collaborator |
ID: | RP250176 |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | 3D Spatial Multi-Omics Profiling of Ovarian Cancer |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | 14026665 |
Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
Title: | Developing Cancer Prevention Vaccines for Lynch Syndrome Carriers |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention Initiative (CPI) |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | FP00022246 |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | Dissecting the role of B lineage cells in mediating response of resectable lung cancer to neoadjuvant immune-based therapy |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | FP00019018_Res1 |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | Interrogating the Spatial and Functional Relevance of Microbes in Pancreatic Cancer and Metastasis |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00017880_Res1 |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | Neoadjuvant combination anti-PD-L1 and anti-TIGIT immune checkpoint blockade in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Collaborator |
ID: | FP00020538 |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | Defining the Role of Schwann Cell L1CAM-EGFR Signaling in Perineural invasion, Neuroinflammation and Cancer Associated Pain |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00015531_Res1 |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | A 3D endometrial pre-cancer atlas with spatially-resolved cellular and molecular profiling |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | FP00021077 |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | 3D Spatial Multi-Omics Profiling of Ovarian Cancer |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | FP00021171 |
Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
Title: | Immunologic consequences of HLA II dysregulation in relapsed AML post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation |
Funding Source: | Ladies Leukemia League |
Role: | Collaborator |
Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
Title: | Persistent BH4 depletion and vascular aging by disturbed flow |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | GRANT13928866 |
Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
Title: | Neuroendocrine Reprogramming in DSRCT Resistance Mechanisms and Treatment Strategies |
Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00017786 |
Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
Title: | Creating therapeutic vulnerabilities in pancreatic cancer by blocking Yap1-Cox2 adaptive signaling with statin and aspirin |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
Title: | Persistent BH4 depletion and vascular aging by disturbed flow |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00017803 |
Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
Title: | Targeting of Innate Immune Sensors for Cancer Immunotherapy |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Mentoring Committee Member |
ID: | FP00015843_Res1 |
Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
Title: | Regulation of stem-like CD8 T cells by Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in the context of resistance to immunotherapy |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00015889_Res1 |
Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
Title: | Evaluating the Impact of Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis and the Gut Microbiome on Systemic Immunity in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Early-Stage Melanoma |
Funding Source: | American Association for Cancer Research Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award |
Role: | Collaborator |
ID: | FP00018410 |
Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
Title: | Defining the Role of L1CAM-EGFR Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer Perineural Invasion and Pain |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | PA-20-185 |
Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
Title: | Cis-aconitate decarboxylase (ACOD1) as a therapeutic target in immunosuppressive PMN-MDSCs |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | RP230084 |
Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
Title: | Targeting Immune checkpoint protein B7-H3 in Breast Cancer |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00016924 |
Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
Title: | Identifying, Understanding, and Eradicating Measurable Residual Disease (MRD) in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) |
Funding Source: | Break Through Cancer |
Role: | Researcher |
ID: | FP00018527 |
Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
Title: | Identifying, Understanding, and Eradicating Measurable Residual Disease (MRD) in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) |
Funding Source: | Break Through Cancer |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00018527 |
Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
Title: | Aerosol Gemcitabine to enhance NK cell therapy against Osteosarcoma |
Funding Source: | Children's Cancer Research Foundation |
Role: | Collaborator |
ID: | FP00017726 |
Date: | 2022 - 2026 |
Title: | Premature aging disorders, metabolites, and atherosclerosis |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00014398_Res1 |
Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
Title: | Mechanisms of Venetoclax Resistance in AML |
Funding Source: | Leukemia and Lymphoma Society |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | SCOR-22936-22 |
Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
Title: | Specialized Center of Research: An Integrated Approach towards Improving Outcomes in Higher Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes |
Funding Source: | Leukemia and Lymphoma Society |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00016057 |
Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
Title: | Acquired Resistance to Therapy and Iron (ARTI) Center |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | U54CA274220 |
Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
Title: | Integrated immuno-genomic/proteomic profiling and prediction for AML |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00016758 |
Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
Title: | Identifying, Understanding, and Eradicating Measurable Residual Disease (MRD) in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) |
Funding Source: | Break Through Cancer |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00016822 |
Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
Title: | Investigating the Checkpoint Protein B7-H3 in Breast Cancer Immunotherapy |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00014974 |
Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
Title: | Targeting Degradation of Programmed Death Ligand-1 for Immune Stimulation and Cancer Immunotherapy |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2021 - 2022 |
Title: | Imaging Mass Cytometry Spatial Transcriptomics via RNAscope |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Collaborator |
ID: | P30CA016672 |
Date: | 2021 - 2025 |
Title: | Modulation of SENP2-mediated NAD+ depletion in radiation-induced endothelial damage |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Collaborator |
ID: | GRANT13226772 |
Date: | 2021 - 2022 |
Title: | Clonal hematopoiesis drivers regulate premature aging during HIV-infetion |
Funding Source: | AHA CDG award |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2021 - 2022 |
Title: | PAR-20-114 High-End Instrumentation (HEI) Grant Program (S10) - Optofluidic Cell Sorting, Imaging, and Analytics System |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | PI |
Date: | 2020 - 2023 |
Title: | Elucidating and therapeutic targeting of prostate bone metastasis |
Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Single Cell Spatial Analysis in Tissue |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | PI |
ID: | 1R50CA243707-01A1 |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Effective combination therapy for MTAP-deficient bladder carcinoma by targeting metabolic vulnerability and modulating tumor immune microenvironment |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2022 |
Title: | The interplay of inflammation, genomic instability, and immune microenvironment in oral cancer development |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Modulation Of The Glioblastoma Immune Landscape With STING |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Deciphering the gene regulatory networks and biophysical cues that sustain high-grade osteosarcoma |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Deciphering the radiogenomic and immunologic alterations that drive progression to invasive breast cancer |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2024 |
Title: | SUMOylation and SEPA (senescence and endothelial pro-inflammatory activation) |
Funding Source: | National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2024 |
Title: | Clonal hematopoiesis drivers and trained innate immunity |
Funding Source: | National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2024 |
Title: | Endothelial TOP2beta and radiation-induced atherosclerosis |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Cntributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Effective combination therapy for MTAP-deficient bladder carcinoma by targeting metabolic vulnerability and modulating tumor immune microenvironment |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Microdevice-enabled High Throughput Intratumoral Drug Testing For Ewing Sarcoma |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2023 |
Title: | Targeting TAZ mediated proneural to mesenchymal transition in malignant gliomas |
Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2022 |
Title: | Predictive multiplex assay for targets of antibody-drug conjugates and immunotherapies to evaluate therapeutic options for patients with rare tumors |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2024 |
Title: | TOP2b, telomere dysfunction phenotype, and radiation-induced cardiovascular disease |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
Title: | Clonal hematopoiesis drivers induce senescent phenotype by topoisomerase 2B degradation |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2023 |
Title: | Evolution of the immune microenvironment as determinants of breast ductal carcinoma in situ progression |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2020 - 2022 |
Title: | Targeting macrophage polarization switch for prevention of breast cancer |
Funding Source: | Prevent Cancer Foundation |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2019 - 2020 |
Title: | Evolution of the immune microenvironment as determinants of breast ductal carcinoma in situ progression |
Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Date: | 2019 - 2026 |
Title: | Cancer Center Support Grant, PP-SR-12; Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Facility |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-Director of Shared Resource Core Facility |
ID: | 5P30 CA016672 |
Date: | 2019 - 2019 |
Title: | Multiplex predictive assay for antibody-drug conjugate targets in patients with rare tumors |
Funding Source: | ELSA U PARDEE FOUNDATION |
Role: | Significant Collaborator |
Date: | 2018 - 2023 |
Title: | Combating Intratumoral Cancer Cell Heterogeneity in Ewing Sarcoma by Co-targeting the EWS-FLI1 Fusion Protein and Epigenetic Mediators of Resistance; Core 2: Image Mass CyToF Core |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Core Director |
ID: | 1U54CA232242-01 |
Date: | 2015 - 2016 |
Title: | Understanding the role of mesenchymal stromal cells in a rodent model of liver |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Investigator |
Date: | 2014 - 2015 |
Title: | New Technology Implementation in Shared Resources: FCCIF Web Analysis Tool |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | PI |
ID: | 5 P30 CA016672 |
Date: | 2013 - 2014 |
Title: | New Technology Implementation in Shared Resources, CyTOF Single Cell Proteomics |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Collaborator |
ID: | 5P30 CA016672 |
Date: | 2013 - 2014 |
Title: | New Technology Implementation in Shared Resources, Establishment and Validation of Single Cell RNA Flow |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | 5P30 CA016672 |
Date: | 2012 - 2017 |
Title: | Single cell network analysis through interactive manipulation of very high parameter data |
Funding Source: | NIH/NIBIB |
Role: | Co-I |
Date: | 2012 - 2015 |
Title: | CyTOF Mass Cytometer and Element Tagging System |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Research Scientist |
ID: | RP121010 |
Date: | 2010 - 2015 |
Title: | MSC MIRA-CPRIT Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core B |
Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
Role: | Co-I |
ID: | RP101346 |
Date: | 2009 - 2010 |
Title: | Advantages of Multiphoton Confocal FV1000MPE in Cancer Biology Research |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Research Scientist |
ID: | 1 S10 RR029400-01 |
Title: | Optofluidic Cell Sorting, Imaging, and Analytic System |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | PI |
ID: | FP#00011230_Res1 |
Title: | Deciphering the GRNs and biophysical cues that sustain high-grade osteosarcoma |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contriboutor |
ID: | PAR-19-158 |
Title: | Modeling TIME Architecture by Radiomics to Quantify Response to IO Agents |
Funding Source: | Melanoma Research Alliance |
Role: | Co-I |
Title: | Modulation of SENP2-mediated NAD+ depletion in radiation-induced endothelial damage |
Funding Source: | METHODIST HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Title: | Elucidating and therapeutic targeting of prostate bone metastasis |
Funding Source: | USA Medical Research Acq Activity |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Title: | Integrative genomic analysis to decode the spatial context associated with chemoresistance in high-grade serous ovarian cancer |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
Title: | Delineating Single Cell Level Intra-Tumoral Heterogeneity and Validating It's Association with Chemoradiation Responses in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma |
Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
Role: | Significant Contributor |
ID: | FP00014652 |
CV information above last modified April 29, 2025