Research Summary

I am a Distinguished Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. My research efforts are focused on elucidating and targeting key signaling pathways in head and neck cancer. I directed the head and neck cancer program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute from 1998-2014 and in this capacity facilitated collaborations between clinicians and investigators with an emphasis of developing a robust research infrastructure to support translational cancer studies. I served as PI of the SPORE in Head and Neck Cancer at the University of Pittsburgh from 2002-2021. I am a member of the Developmental Therapeutics Program at the HDFCCC.

Research Funding

  • July 18, 2016 - June 30, 2026 - Clinical and Translational Science Institute , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: UL1TR001872
  • August 15, 2018 - July 31, 2025 - Integrating genomics and the protein interactome for HPV+ head and neck cancer therapy , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R35CA231998
  • June 1, 1994 - June 30, 2025 - Postdoctoral Training in Head and Neck Oncology , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: T32CA060397
  • August 13, 2019 - May 31, 2024 - Targeting STAT3 to enhance anti-tumor immunity , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DE028289

Education

Swarthmore College, BA, Biology, 1982
Swarthmore College, BA, Art History, 1982
University of Pittsburgh, M.D., School of Medicine, 1987
University of Pittsburgh, Residency, School of Medicine, Surgery, 1988
University of Pittsburgh, Research Fellowship, School of Medicine, Infections Disease, 1992
University of Pittsburgh, Residency, School of Medicine, Otolaryngology, 1993

Honors & Awards

  • 1987
    University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Kenneth H. Hinderer Award in Otolaryngology
  • 1987
    University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Leo H. Criep, Award in Medicine,
  • 1986 University of Pittsburgh, Alpha Omega Alpha
  • 1982
    Swarthmore College, Oak Leaf Award
  • 2002
    American Society for Clinical Investigation, Elected Member
  • 2003
    University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Scientific Leadership Award
  • 2005 -
    2014
    Pittsburgh Magazine, Top Doctor
  • 2008 -
    presAmerican Cancer Society, American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professorship
  • 2009
    University of Pittsburgh, Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award
  • 2009
    MD Anderson Cancer Center, Waun Ki Hong Visiting Professorship
  • 2010
    University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Philip Hench Distinguished Alumnus Award
  • 2010
    Association of American Physicians, Elected Member
  • 2011
    University of Pittsburgh, Provost’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring
  • 2012
    The Ochsner Clinic Foundation, Alton Oschner Award Relating Smoking and Disease
  • 2012
    Institute of Medicine (IOM) of The National Academies, Elected Member
  • 2012
    University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Distinguished Professor of Otolaryngology
  • 2014
    University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, William E. Brown Outstanding MSTP Mentor Award, Medical Scientist Training Program
  • 2015
    Peggy Wheelock Award for Excellence in Research, Mentoring, and Promotion of Women in Science

Selected Publications

  1. Lee RH, Roy R, Li H, Hechmer A, Zhu TR, Izgutdina A, Olshen AB, Johnson DE, Grandis JR. Therapeutic implications of transcriptomics in head and neck cancer patient-derived xenografts. PLoS One. 2023; 18(3):e0282177.  View on PubMed
  2. Jagadeeshan S, Prasad M, Badarni M, Ben Lulu T, Liju VB, Mathukkada S, Saunders C, Shnerb AB, Zorea J, Yegodayev KM, Wainer M, Vtorov L, Allon I, Cohen O, Gausdal G, Friedmann-Morvinski D, Cheong SC, Ho AL, Rosenberg AJ, Kessler L, Burrows F, Kong D, Grandis JR, Gutkind JS, Elkabets M. Mutated HRAS activates YAP1-AXL signaling to drive metastasis of head and neck cancer. Cancer Res. 2023 Feb 08.  View on PubMed
  3. Johnson DE, Burtness B, Leemans CR, Lui VWY, Bauman JE, Grandis JR. Author Correction: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2023 Jan 19; 9(1):4.  View on PubMed
  4. Mascarella MA, Olonisakin TF, Rumde P, Vendra V, Nance MA, Kim S, Kubik MW, Sridharan SS, Ferris RL, Fenton MJ, Clayburgh DR, Ohr JP, Joyce SC, Sen M, Herman JG, Grandis JR, Zandberg DP, Duvvuri U. Response to neoadjuvant targeted therapy in operable head and neck cancer confers survival benefit. Clin Cancer Res. 2023 Jan 03.  View on PubMed
  5. Shiah JV, Johnson DE, Grandis JR. Transcription Factors and Cancer: Approaches to Targeting. Cancer J. 2023 Jan-Feb 01; 29(1):38-46.  View on PubMed
  6. VanLandingham NK, Nazarenko A, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. The mutational profiles and corresponding therapeutic implications of PI3K mutations in cancer. Adv Biol Regul. 2022 Nov 15; 100934.  View on PubMed
  7. Qureshy Z, Li H, Zeng Y, Rivera J, Cheng N, Peterson CN, Kim MO, Ryan WR, Ha PK, Bauman JE, Wang SJ, Long SR, Johnson DE, Grandis JR. STAT3 Activation as a Predictive Biomarker for Ruxolitinib Response in Head and Neck Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2022 Nov 01; 28(21):4737-4746.  View on PubMed
  8. Long Z, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. Emerging tyrosine kinase inhibitors for head and neck cancer. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs. 2022 09; 27(3):333-344.  View on PubMed
  9. Brand TM, Hartmann S, Bhola NE, Li H, Zeng Y, O'Keefe RA, Ranall MV, Bandyopadhyay S, Soucheray M, Krogan NJ, Kemp C, Duvvuri U, LaVallee T, Johnson DE, Ozbun MA, Bauman JE, Grandis JR. Correction: Cross-talk Signaling between HER3 and HPV16 E6 and E7 Mediates Resistance to PI3K Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancer. Cancer Res. 2022 Sep 02; 82(17):3187.  View on PubMed
  10. Brand TM, Hartmann S, Bhola NE, Li H, Zeng Y, O'Keefe RA, Ranall MV, Bandyopadhyay S, Soucheray M, Krogan NJ, Kemp C, Duvvuri U, LaVallee T, Johnson DE, Ozbun MA, Bauman JE, Grandis JR. Editor's Note: Cross-talk Signaling between HER3 and HPV16 E6 and E7 Mediates Resistance to PI3K Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancer. Cancer Res. 2022 Sep 02; 82(17):3188.  View on PubMed
  11. Thawani R, Kim MS, Arastu A, Feng Z, West MT, Taflin NF, Thein KZ, Li R, Geltzeiler M, Lee N, Fuller CD, Grandis JR, Floudas CS, Heinrich MC, Hanna E, Chandra RA. The contemporary management of cancers of the sinonasal tract in adults. CA Cancer J Clin. 2023 Jan; 73(1):72-112.  View on PubMed
  12. Grandis JR. Gender Equity in Science and Medicine: Breaking the Impasse. Cancer Discov. 2022 05 02; 12(5):1191-1194.  View on PubMed
  13. Murphy M, Callander JK, Dohan D, Grandis JR. Networking practices and gender inequities in academic medicine: Women's and men's perspectives. EClinicalMedicine. 2022 Mar; 45:101338.  View on PubMed
  14. Li H, Peyser ND, Zeng Y, Ha PK, Johnson DE, Grandis JR. NSAIDs Overcome PIK3CA Mutation-Mediated Resistance to EGFR Inhibition in Head and Neck Cancer Preclinical Models. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Jan 20; 14(3).  View on PubMed
  15. Murphy M, Record H, Callander JK, Dohan D, Grandis JR. Mentoring Relationships and Gender Inequities in Academic Medicine: Findings From a Multi-Institutional Qualitative Study. Acad Med. 2022 01 01; 97(1):136-142.  View on PubMed
  16. Jin N, Keam B, Cho J, Lee MJ, Kim HR, Torosyan H, Jura N, Ng PK, Mills GB, Li H, Zeng Y, Barbash Z, Tarcic G, Kang H, Bauman JE, Kim MO, VanLandingham NK, Swaney DL, Krogan NJ, Johnson DE, Grandis JR. Therapeutic implications of activating noncanonical PIK3CA mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Clin Invest. 2021 11 15; 131(22).  View on PubMed
  17. Bouhaddou M, Lee RH, Li H, Bhola NE, O'Keefe RA, Naser M, Zhu TR, Nwachuku K, Duvvuri U, Olshen AB, Roy R, Hechmer A, Bolen J, Keysar SB, Jimeno A, Mills GB, Vandenberg S, Swaney DL, Johnson DE, Krogan NJ, Grandis JR. Caveolin-1 and Sox-2 are predictive biomarkers of cetuximab response in head and neck cancer. JCI Insight. 2021 10 22; 6(20).  View on PubMed
  18. Warren BR, Grandis JR, Johnson DE, Villa A. Head and Neck Cancer among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations in California, 2009-2018. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Oct 16; 13(20).  View on PubMed
  19. Swaney DL, Ramms DJ, Wang Z, Park J, Goto Y, Soucheray M, Bhola N, Kim K, Zheng F, Zeng Y, McGregor M, Herrington KA, O'Keefe R, Jin N, VanLandingham NK, Foussard H, Von Dollen J, Bouhaddou M, Jimenez-Morales D, Obernier K, Kreisberg JF, Kim M, Johnson DE, Jura N, Grandis JR, Gutkind JS, Ideker T, Krogan NJ. A protein network map of head and neck cancer reveals PIK3CA mutant drug sensitivity. Science. 2021 Oct; 374(6563):eabf2911.  View on PubMed
  20. Radaic A, Ganther S, Kamarajan P, Grandis J, Yom SS, Kapila YL. Paradigm shift in the pathogenesis and treatment of oral cancer and other cancers focused on the oralome and antimicrobial-based therapeutics. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):76-93.  View on PubMed

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