My long-term vision is to transform the treatment of metastatic cancer through translational research that challenges the deeply held view that metastases are invariably widespread and incurable. I believe that a subset of patients with limited metastatic disease can be cured with appropriately tailored therapies—and that defining the biological underpinnings of this state is essential to advancing precision oncology. My laboratory employs integrative approaches combining molecular profiling of clinical metastases, advanced bioinformatics, immunologic analyses, and in vivo modeling to address two paradigm-defining questions: (1) What are the biological determinants that distinguish curable from incurable metastatic states? and (2) How can we systematically harness radiotherapy-immunotherapy synergy to overcome immune resistance mechanisms that limit curability? We were the first to demonstrate a biological basis for curable oligometastatic disease, showing that robust adaptive immune activation in concert with favorable clinical features predicts ~95% 10-year survival in colorectal cancer patients with resected liver metastases (Nature Communications 2018)—a finding validated in the randomized phase III New EPOC trial (JAMA Oncology 2023) and now being translated into clinical practice. Extending this framework across cancer types, we showed that tumor aneuploidy serves as a pan-cancer biomarker predicting immunotherapy response (Nature Genetics 2022) and that concurrent ablative radiotherapy enhances this response in highly aneuploid metastatic lung cancers (Nature Cancer 2022). Building on these clinical observations, we are now elucidating the mechanistic basis for how radiation interacts with immune-modifying therapies in patients. Our recent work identified radiation-induced amphiregulin as a critical mediator that reprograms myeloid cells toward immunosuppressive phenotypes, providing new targets to enhance the efficacy of combined radiation-immunotherapy approaches (Nature 2025). These discoveries are driving the development of molecular diagnostic tools now being deployed clinically to guide treatment selection.
The University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Residency - Radiation Oncology
2016
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York City, NY
- Spinal Radiosurgery
2015
Northwestern Medicine Proton Center
Warrenville, IL
- Proton Radiotherapy
2015
The University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Internship - Internal Medicine
2012
The University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
M.D. - Medicine
2011
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL
B.S. - Biomedical Engineering
2006
Myeloid reprogramming generates myeloid-derived activating cells to potentiate radiotherapy and suppress metastasis.
Myeloid reprogramming generates myeloid-derived activating cells to potentiate radiotherapy and suppress metastasis. Cancer Cell. 2026 Sep 17.
PMID: 42753736
Reply to: Pre-clinical data interpretation requires clinical context.
Reply to: Pre-clinical data interpretation requires clinical context. Nature. 2026 Aug; 656(8127):E5-E6.
PMID: 42587119
m 6 A-dependent microRNA binding to chromatin-associated RNA for transcriptional activation.
m 6 A-dependent microRNA binding to chromatin-associated RNA for transcriptional activation. bioRxiv. 2026 Mar 11.
PMID: 41889950
IFN signaling at the nexus of the radiotherapy response in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.
IFN signaling at the nexus of the radiotherapy response in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. J Clin Invest. 2026 Mar 02; 136(5).
PMID: 41766655
Radiotherapy Duality in Metastatic Disease-Inhibiting Seeding, Unmasking Dormancy.
Radiotherapy Duality in Metastatic Disease-Inhibiting Seeding, Unmasking Dormancy. JAMA Oncol. 2026 Jan 01; 12(1):24-25.
PMID: 41264286
Amphiregulin as a Mediator of Radiation-Induced Systemic Effects in Metastatic Cancer: Balancing Local Control with Distant Progression.
Amphiregulin as a Mediator of Radiation-Induced Systemic Effects in Metastatic Cancer: Balancing Local Control with Distant Progression. Clin Cancer Res. 2025 Dec 01; 31(23):4899-4902.
PMID: 41051275
Radiotherapy induces YTHDF2 in dendritic cells impairing cross-presentation and T cell function.
Radiotherapy induces YTHDF2 in dendritic cells impairing cross-presentation and T cell function. J Exp Med. 2026 01 05; 223(1).
PMID: 41196643
Publisher Correction: Radiation-induced amphiregulin drives tumour metastasis.
Publisher Correction: Radiation-induced amphiregulin drives tumour metastasis. Nature. 2025 Nov; 647(8091):E9.
PMID: 41214352
Radiation-Induced Amphiregulin Drives Tumor Metastasis.
Radiation-Induced Amphiregulin Drives Tumor Metastasis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2026 Mar 15; 124(4):1065-1068.
PMID: 41130298
Correction: Suppression of local type I interferon by gut microbiota-derived butyrate impairs antitumor effects of ionizing radiation.
Correction: Suppression of local type I interferon by gut microbiota-derived butyrate impairs antitumor effects of ionizing radiation. J Exp Med. 2025 Oct 06; 222(10).
PMID: 40970935
Fletcher Scholar
Cancer Research Foundation
2024 - 2024
John D. Arnold, M.D. Mentor Award
University of Chicago
2023 - 2023
Lung Cancer Discovery Award
American Lung Association
2022 - 2024
LUNGevity Career Development Award
University of Chicago
2020 - 2023
Spotlight Grant on Tumor Biology
University of Chicago
2019 - 2020
Ullman Scholarship in Translational Cancer Immunology
University of Chicago
2019 - 2020
Best of ASTRO Basic/Translational Science Award for Junior Investigator in Radiation&Cancer Biology
American Society for Radiation Oncology
2018 - 2018
Distinguished Biomedical Engineering Alumni Award
Illinois Institute of Technology
2016 - 2016
Franklin McLean Medical Student Research Award
Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago
2011 - 2011
Senior Research Award
Dept. of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago
2011 - 2011
Calvin Fentress Research Fellowship
University of Chicago
2010 - 2012
NIH Summer Research Fellowship
University of Chicago
2007 - 2007
Summa Cum Laude
Illinois Institute of Technology
2006 - 2006
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellowship
University of Chicago
2005 - 2006
Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society Winkler Scholarship
Illinois Institute of Technology
2005 - 2006
Heald Undergraduate Tuition Scholarship
Illinois Institute of Technology
2002 - 2006