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Research Leaders
Cancer Center Director
Senior Vice President
Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD
Senior Vice President
Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology Research
Jonathan Chernoff works with Temple University Health System and Temple University leadership to guide Fox Chase into the future of cancer care. A molecular oncologist and medical oncologist, he helps Fox Chase focus on areas that best leverage the institution’s strengths in scientific development.
Associate Directors
Translational Research
Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology/Oncology
Martin J. Edelman, MD
Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology/Oncology
Deputy Cancer Center Director for Clinical Research
G. Morris Dorrance Jr. Chair in Medical Oncology
Martin Edelman’s research focuses on interdisciplinary and multimodality treatment of lung cancer with the goal of translating laboratory observations into practical clinical trials. His role at Fox Chase is to facilitate interactions between laboratory and clinical investigators.
Population Science
Carolyn Y. Fang, PhD
Professor, Cancer Prevention and Control
Carolyn Y. Fang studies how psychosocial and behavioral factors influence cancer risk and outcomes, particularly in underserved populations. Her work has made significant contributions to informing evidence-based approaches for addressing cancer health disparities.
System Integration
Deputy Chief Science Officer
Erica Golemis, PhD
Deputy Chief Science Officer
Professor, Molecular Therapeutics
William Wikoff Smith Chair in Cancer Research
As Associate Director for System Integration, Erica Golemis works with Fox Chase and Temple scientists to develop relationships that will lead Fox Chase into the future. As chair of the Department of Cancer and Cell Biology at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, she focuses on identifying and supporting research synergies that advance cancer research and cancer care.
Administration & Planning
John Gricoski
Vice President, Research Administration
John Gricoski is responsible for administration of the center, including oversight of research operating and capital budgets, and laboratory space planning. He also manages the NCI Cancer Center Support Grant. Gricoski has an MBA in finance and is a licensed Pennsylvania CPA.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Camille Ragin, PhD, MPH
Professor, Cancer Prevention and Control
Camille Ragin’s research focuses on gene-environment interactions and cancer health disparities. Her work applies molecular biomarkers, genomics, and public health tools to cancer research in African American communities and African-descended populations worldwide.
Education & Training
Chief Academic Officer
Glenn F. Rall, PhD
Chief Academic Officer
Professor, Blood Cell Development and Function
A member of the Blood Cell Development and Function research program, Rall focuses on the intersection of virology, immunology, and neurobiology. As associate director of education and training, Rall oversees all faculty affairs, as well as mentoring and education programs.
Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine
Associate Director, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Tomasz Skorski, MD, PhD, DSc
Associate Director, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Director, Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine
Professor, Department of Cancer and Cellular Biology
As director of the Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine at Temple, Tomasz Skorski oversees the planning, organization, and direction of the institute’s operations and programs. His lab focuses on determining of the role of DNA repair mechanisms in acute and chronic leukemias.
Clinical Research
Chief, Division of Sarcoma Medical Oncology
Margaret von Mehren, MD
Chief, Division of Sarcoma Medical Oncology
Vice Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology/Oncology
Physician Director, Clinical Trials Office
Margaret von Mehren’s research focuses on developmental therapeutics for sarcomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Her work in this area informs her role as the associate director for clinical research, in which she oversees much of the clinical trials process at Fox Chase.
Basic Science
Scientific Director of the Research Institute
David Wiest, PhD
Scientific Director of the Research Institute
Co-Leader and Professor, Blood Cell Development and Function
Director, Cell Sorting Facility and Laboratory Animal Facility
In his role as scientific director, David Wiest oversees the overall direction of science research at the center. His lab explores the molecular basis for normal and malignant hematopoiesis, with a particular emphasis on T lymphocyte development. He also co-leads the Blood Cell Development and Function research program.
Research Program Leaders
Blood Cell Development and Function Program
Siddharth Balachandran, PhD
Co-Leader and Professor, Blood Cell Development and Function Program
Siddharth Balachandran explores how cells die during host innate-immune responses to viruses and bacteria, and how to exploit these mechanisms for the treatment of human disease, whether inflammatory, infectious, or malignant. He is co-leader of the Blood Cell Development and Function research program.
Blood Cell Development and Function Program
Scientific Director of the Research Institute of Fox Chase Cancer Center
David Wiest, PhD
Scientific Director of the Research Institute of Fox Chase Cancer Center
Co-Leader and Professor, Blood Cell Development and Function
Director, Cell Sorting Facility and Laboratory Animal Facility
In his role as scientific director, David Wiest oversees the overall direction of science research at the center. His lab explores the molecular basis for normal and malignant hematopoiesis, with a particular emphasis on T lymphocyte development. He also co-leads the Blood Cell Development and Function research program.
Cancer Prevention and Control Program
Deputy Scientific Director
Margie L. Clapper, PhD
Deputy Scientific Director
Professor, Cancer Prevention and Control Program
Samuel M.V. Hamilton Chair in Cancer Prevention
Adjunct Faculty, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University
As a scientific director, Margie Clapper facilitates translational research by fostering multidisciplinary collaborations among faculty within the Cancer Prevention and Control research program, which she co-leads, and throughout the center. Her research focuses on the identification of biomarkers of cancer risk and development of new cancer preventive therapies.
Cancer Prevention and Control Program
Chair and Professor, Department of Clinical Genetics
Michael J. Hall, MD, MS
Chair and Professor, Department of Clinical Genetics
Director, Gastrointestinal Risk Assessment
Co-Leader, Cancer Prevention and Control Program
Michael Hall’s research focus is in hereditary cancer syndromes, including GI syndromes (Lynch syndrome, pancreatic cancer risk) and hereditary breast/ovarian syndrome, as well as precision medicine and secondary hereditary risks, and cancer prevention. As part of the Risk Assessment program, he maintains diverse multidisciplinary collaborations.
Cancer Signaling and Epigenetics Program
Co-Leader and Professor, Cancer Signaling and Epigenetics Program
Edna (Eti) Cukierman, PhD
Co-Leader and Professor, Cancer Signaling and Epigenetics Program
Co-Director, Marvin & Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute
Co-Director, Immune Monitoring Facility
Eti Cukierman’s lab studies the biology of desmoplasia, which plays a central role in epithelial tumor formation. In her leadership role, she works to facilitate clinical collaborations with the goal of testing laboratory-generated hypotheses and translating basic discoveries to the clinic.
Cancer Signaling and Epigenetics Program
Co-Leader and Professor, Cancer Signaling and Epigenetics Program
Johnathan R. Whetstine, PhD
Co-Leader and Professor, Cancer Signaling and Epigenetics Program
Director, Cancer Epigenetics Institute
Jack Schultz Chair in Basic Science
The Whetstine laboratory studies how chromatin factors control gene expression and genome stability, and in turn, the impact on cancer drug response and resistance. As director of the Cancer Epigenetics Institute, Whetstine works to promote fundamental discovery in cancer epigenetics while identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Molecular Therapeutics Program
Chief, Division of Thoracic Medical Oncology
Hossein Borghaei, DO, MS
Chief, Division of Thoracic Medical Oncology
Professor, Department of Hematology/Oncology
Co-Director, Immune Monitoring Facility
Co-Leader, Molecular Therapeutics Program
Gloria and Edmund M. Dunn Chair in Thoracic Oncology
Hossein Borghaei’s lab concentrates on the development of new cancer treatments, with an emphasis on the use of immunotherapy and monoclonal antibodies. Borghaei frequently collaborates with scientists outside of Fox Chase in an effort to bring newer immune-based treatments to the clinic.
Molecular Therapeutics Program
John Karanicolas, PhD
Co-Leader and Professor, Molecular Therapeutics Program
The goal of the Karanicolas lab is to develop structure-based approaches for controlling protein function using small molecules. Karanicolas and his team use these methods to reactivate disabled tumor suppressors, inhibit cancer-driving RNA-binding proteins, disable key oncogenic kinases, and tune the activity of antibodies used in cancer immunotherapy.