Ronald A. DePinho, M.D.
Department of Cancer Biology, Division of Basic Sciences
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, Division of Basic Science Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Harry Graves Burkhart III Distinguished University Chair in Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Past President, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2017 | Hofstra University, New York, NY, USA, PhD (Hon.), Honorary |
| 1998 | Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA, MS (Hon.), Honorary |
| 1981 | Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA, MD, Microbiology & Immunology |
| 1977 | Fordham College, New York, NY, USA, BS, Biological Sciences |
Postgraduate Training
| 1984-1985 | Postdoctoral Fellowship, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, Bronx, NY |
| 1984-1988 | Postdoctoral Fellowship, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, New York, NY |
Board Certifications
| 1984 | Board Certified in Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Professor of Medicine (Genetics), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 1998 - 2011
Professor, Department of Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 1997 - 1998
Associate Professor, Department of Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 1993 - 1997
Assistant Professor, Department of Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 1988 - 1993
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Founder & Chair, Unite to Prevent Cancer, Washington, DC, 2019 - Present
Founder & Director, Eliminate Cancer Initiative, New York, NY, 2017 - 2018
Founder & Director, Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 2004 - 2011
Scientific Director, Mouse Specialized Services, Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, MA, 1999 - 2004
Scientific Director, Transgenic & Gene Targeting Facility, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 1998 - 2011
Scientific Director, Transgenic & Gene Targeting Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 1988 - 1998
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Organizer & Director, NCI Mouse Developmental Genetics Course, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 1991 - 1998
Attending Physician, Jacobi Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 1988 - 1997
Consultantships
Co-Founder, Advisor and Director, Tvardi Therapeutics, Houston, TX, 2018 - Present
Scientific Advisory Board, Sidney Kimmel Foundation, Philadelphia, PA, 2009 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2017 | Ellis Island Medal of Honor, National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations |
| 2017 | Brien McMahon Award for Distinguished Public Service, Fordham University |
| 2017 | Member, Science Committee, Science and Faith Foundation – STOQ, Vatican |
| 2017 | Foreign Member, Royal Academy of Science, Portugal |
| 2017 | PCF Challenge Award, Prostate Cancer Foundation |
| 2016 | 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders, Modern Healthcare |
| 2015 | Fellow, American Association for Cancer Research |
| 2015 | 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare, Modern Healthcare |
| 2015 | Order of Saint James of the Sword (knighthood), Republic of Portugal |
| 2014 | Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| 2012 | Prize for Scientific Excellence in Medicine, American Italian Cancer Foundation |
| 2012 | Member, National Academy of Sciences |
| 2011 | Fellow, American Academy of Arts & Sciences |
| 2010 | Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences |
| 2009 | Albert Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research |
| 2007 | Harvey Society Lecture |
| 2007 | Biomedicum Helsinki Medal and Lecture |
| 2004 | Albert Einstein College of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award |
| 2004 | American Cancer Society Edith A. Pistorino Research Professorship |
| 2004 | Member, Institute of Medicine (now Health and Medicine Division) of the National Academies |
| 2003 | AACR-G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award |
| 2003 | The Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar Award |
| 2002 | American Society for Clinical Investigation Award (now Korsmeyer Award) |
| 2000 | Kirsch Senior Investigator Award |
| 1998 | American Cancer Society Research Professorship |
| 1995 | Irma T. Hirschl Career Scientist Award |
| 1993 | Melini Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research |
| 1992 | Feinberg Senior Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Zhao D, Lu X, Wang G, Lan Z, Liao W, Li J, Liang X, Chen JR, Shah S, Shang X, Tang M, Deng P, Dey P, Chakravarti D, Chen P, Spring DJ, Navone NM, Troncoso P, Zhang J, Wang YA, DePinho RA. Synthetic essentiality of chromatin remodelling factor CHD1 in PTEN-deficient cancer. Nature 542(7642):484-488, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28166537.
- Boutin AT, Liao WT, Wang M, Hwang SS, Karpinets TV, Cheung H, Chu GC, Jiang S, Hu J, Chang K, Vilar E, Song X, Zhang J, Kopetz S, Futreal A, Wang YA, Kwong LN, DePinho RA. Oncogenic Kras drives invasion and maintains metastases in colorectal cancer. Genes Dev 31(4):370-382, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28289141.
- Dey P, Baddour J, Muller F, Wu CC, Wang H, Liao WT, Lan Z, Chen A, Gutschner T, Kang Y, Fleming J, Satani N, Zhao D, Achreja A, Yang L, Lee J, Chang E, Genovese G, Viale A, Ying H, Draetta G, Maitra A, Wang YA, Nagrath D, DePinho RA. Genomic deletion of malic enzyme 2 confers collateral lethality in pancreatic cancer. Nature 542(7639):119-123, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28099419.
- Hu B, Wang Q, Wang YA, Hua S, Sauvé CG, Ong D, Lan ZD, Chang Q, Ho YW, Monasterio MM, Lu X, Zhong Y, Zhang J, Deng P, Tan Z, Wang G, Liao WT, Corley LJ, Yan H, Zhang J, You Y, Liu N, Cai L, Finocchiaro G, Phillips JJ, Berger MS, Spring DJ, Hu J, Sulman EP, Fuller GN, Chin L, Verhaak RGW, DePinho RA. Epigenetic Activation of WNT5A Drives Glioblastoma Stem Cell Differentiation and Invasive Growth. Cell 167(5):1281-1295.e18, 2016. PMID: 27863244.
- Muller FL, Aquilanti EA, DePinho RA. Collateral Lethality: A new therapeutic strategy in oncology. Trends Cancer 1(3):161-173, 2015. PMID: 26870836.
- Colla S, Ong DS, Ogoti Y, Marchesini M, Mistry NA, Clise-Dwyer K, Ang SA, Storti P, Viale A, Giuliani N, Ruisaard K, Ganan Gomez I, Bristow CA, Estecio M, Weksberg DC, Ho YW, Hu B, Genovese G, Pettazzoni P, Multani AS, Jiang S, Hua S, Ryan MC, Carugo A, Nezi L, Wei Y, Yang H, D'Anca M, Zhang L, Gaddis S, Gong T, Horner JW, Heffernan TP, Jones P, Cooper LJ, Liang H, Kantarjian H, Wang YA, Chin L, Bueso-Ramos C, Garcia-Manero G, DePinho RA. Telomere dysfunction drives aberrant hematopoietic differentiation and myelodysplastic syndrome. Cancer Cell 27(5):644-57, 2015. PMID: 25965571.
- Muller FL, Colla S, Aquilanti E, Manzo VE, Genovese G, Lee J, Eisenson D, Narurkar R, Deng P, Nezi L, Lee MA, Hu B, Hu J, Sahin E, Ong D, Fletcher-Sananikone E, Ho D, Kwong L, Brennan C, Wang YA, Chin L, DePinho RA. Passenger deletions generate therapeutic vulnerabilities in cancer. Nature 488(7411):337-42, 2012. PMID: 22895339.
- Ying H, Kimmelman AC, Lyssiotis CA, Hua S, Chu GC, Fletcher-Sananikone E, Locasale JW, Son J, Zhang H, Coloff JL, Yan H, Wang W, Chen S, Viale A, Zheng H, Paik JH, Lim C, Guimaraes AR, Martin ES, Chang J, Hezel AF, Perry SR, Hu J, Gan B, Xiao Y, Asara JM, Weissleder R, Wang YA, Chin L, Cantley LC, DePinho RA. Oncogenic Kras maintains pancreatic tumors through regulation of anabolic glucose metabolism. Cell 149(3):656-70, 2012. PMID: 22541435.
- Hu J, Hwang SS, Liesa M, Gan B, Sahin E, Jaskelioff M, Ding Z, Ying H, Boutin AT, Zhang H, Johnson S, Ivanova E, Kost-Alimova M, Protopopov A, Wang YA, Shirihai OS, Chin L, DePinho RA. Antitelomerase Therapy Provokes ALT and Mitochondrial Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer. Cell 148(4):651-63, 2012. PMID: 22341440.
- Ding Z, Wu CJ, Chu GC, Xiao Y, Ho D, Zhang J, Perry SR, Labrot ES, Wu X, Lis R, Hoshida Y, Hiller D, Hu B, Jiang S, Zheng H, Stegh AH, Scott KL, Signoretti S, Bardeesy N, Wang YA, Hill DE, Golub TR, Stampfer MJ, Wong WH, Loda M, Mucci L, Chin L, DePinho RA. SMAD4-dependent barrier constrains prostate cancer growth and metastatic progression. Nature 470(7333):269-73, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21289624.
- Sahin E, Colla S, Liesa M, Moslehi J, Müller FL, Guo M, Cooper M, Kotton D, Fabian AJ, Walkey C, Maser RS, Tonon G, Foerster F, Xiong R, Wang YA, Shukla SA, Jaskelioff M, Martin ES, Heffernan TP, Protopopov A, Ivanova E, Mahoney JE, Kost-Alimova M, Perry SR, Bronson R, Liao R, Mulligan R, Shirihai OS, Chin L, DePinho RA. Telomere dysfunction induces metabolic and mitochondrial compromise. Nature 470(7334):359-65, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21307849.
- Jaskelioff M, Muller FL, Paik JH, Thomas E, Jiang S, Adams AC, Sahin E, Kost-Alimova M, Protopopov A, Cadiñanos J, Horner JW, Maratos-Flier E, Depinho RA. Telomerase reactivation reverses tissue degeneration in aged telomerase-deficient mice. Nature 469(7328):102-6, 2011. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 21113150.
- Gan B, Hu J, Jiang S, Liu Y, Sahin E, Zhuang L, Fletcher-Sananikone E, Colla S, Wang YA, Chin L, Depinho RA. Lkb1 regulates quiescence and metabolic homeostasis of haematopoietic stem cells. Nature 468(7324):701-4, 2010. PMID: 21124456.
- Gan B, Lim C, Chu G, Hua S, Ding Z, Collins M, Hu J, Jiang S, Fletcher-Sananikone E, Zhuang L, Chang M, Zheng H, Wang YA, Kwiatkowski DJ, Kaelin WG, Signoretti S, DePinho RA. FoxOs enforce a progression checkpoint to constrain mTORC1-activated renal tumorigenesis. Cancer Cell 18(5):472-84, 2010. PMID: 21075312.
- Zheng H, Ying H, Wiedemeyer R, Yan H, Quayle SN, Ivanova EV, Paik JH, Zhang H, Xiao Y, Perry SR, Hu J, Vinjamoori A, Gan B, Sahin E, Chheda MG, Brennan C, Wang YA, Hahn WC, Chin L, DePinho RA. PLAGL2 regulates Wnt signaling to impede differentiation in neural stem cells and gliomas. Cancer Cell 17(5):497-509, 2010. PMID: 20478531.
- Paik JH, Ding Z, Narurkar R, Ramkissoon S, Muller F, Kamoun WS, Chae SS, Zheng H, Ying H, Mahoney J, Hiller D, Jiang S, Protopopov A, Wong WH, Chin L, Ligon KL, DePinho RA. FoxOs cooperatively regulate diverse pathways governing neural stem cell homeostasis. Cell Stem Cell 5(5):540-53, 2009. PMID: 19896444.
- Zheng H, Ying H, Yan H, Kimmelman AC, Hiller DJ, Chen AJ, Perry SR, Tonon G, Chu GC, Ding Z, Stommel JM, Dunn KL, Wiedemeyer R, You MJ, Brennan C, Wang YA, Ligon KL, Wong WH, Chin L, DePinho RA. p53 and Pten control neural and glioma stem/progenitor cell renewal and differentiation. Nature 455(7216):1129-33, 2008. PMID: 18948956.