Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD
Cancer Center Director
Senior Vice President
Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology Research
Co-Leader, Cancer Biology
Research Program
Lab Overview
The process of neoplastic transformation can be conceptually divided into two components. The first of these, proliferative transformation, refers to the ability of transformed cells to bypass growth suppression signals, surviving and dividing when normal cells would not. The second, morphologic transformation, refers to loss of normal cytoskeletal architecture, often accompanied by decreased adhesion and acquisition of the ability to invade surrounding tissues. These two fundamental properties are intimately linked to one another, although experimentally they can be dissected apart through the use of gain-of-function and loss-of-function manipulation of signaling molecules. The overall focus this research is in uncovering the roles of key protein kinases that govern these two fundamental aspects of cancer biology.
As Deputy Director and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Chernoff coordinates and charts the future course of research at Fox Chase.
Chernoff joined the staff in 1991 as an associate member and was promoted to member with tenure in 1996. In 2002 he was promoted to be a senior member in Fox Chase Cancer Center's Basic Science division, the equivalent of a full professor in a university.
A molecular oncologist as well as a board-certified medical oncologist, Chernoff has a special interest in factors that control cell growth and movement, including oncogenes and anticancer or tumor-suppressor genes, and has made fundamental contributions in this research.
Chernoff earned his MD and his PhD in biochemistry in 1984 at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University Health Center of Pittsburgh and a clinical fellowship in medical oncology at Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. He then held a postdoctoral fellowship in cellular and developmental biology at Harvard University before coming to Fox Chase.
In recognition of his national reputation in molecular oncology and biochemistry, Chernoff also holds the Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology.
Educational Background
- PhD, Biochemistry, Mt. Sinai School of Medcine, New York, NY, 1984
- MD, Biochemistry, Mt. Sinai School of Medcine, New York, NY, 1984
- BA, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale College, New Haven, CT, 1978
Honors & Awards
- Faculty of 1000 (2007-present)
- Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology research (2008-present)
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2017)
- AACR, Educational Session Leader (2014)
- Pennsylvania Drug Discovery Institute, Drug Discovery Award (2013)
- Senior Fellow, American Asthma Assn (2008-2011)
- Chair: NF2 Preclinical Consortium (2011-2012)
- American Cancer Society, Southeast PA division, Scientific Research Award (2010)
- Vice-Chair, FASEB “Small GTPases” (2008)
- Chair, GRC “Mechanisms of Cell Signaling (2007)
- Dozor Lecturer, Ben-Gurion University, Israel (2007)
- Leukemia Society of America Scholar Award, (1997-2002)
- ACS Research Scholar (1993-1998)
- W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Fellowship 1993-1996
- Pfizer Traveling Fellow (1996)
- B.S. cum laude, Yale University (1978)
Research Program
Research Interests
- Rac1 signaling in malignant melanoma
- Regulation and role of p21-activated kinases in cancer
- Hippo tumor suppressor pathway
- Kras isoform-specific signaling
Lab Overview
The process of neoplastic transformation can be conceptually divided into two components. The first of these, proliferative transformation, refers to the ability of transformed cells to bypass growth suppression signals, suriviving and dividing when normal cells would not. The second, morphologic transformation, refers to loss of normal cytoskeletal architecture, often accompanied by decreased adhesion and acquisition of the ability to invade surrounding tissues. These two fundamental properties are intimately linked to one another, although experimentally they can be dissected apart through the use of gain-of-function and loss-of-function manupulation of signaling molecules. The overall focus this research is in uncovering the roles of protein phosphorylation in governing these two fundamental aspects of cancer biology.
Cristina Uribe-Alvarez, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Dorothy Benton, BS
Graduate Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Konstantin Budagyan, BS
Graduate Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Alexa Cannon, BS
Graduate Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Sofiia Karchugina, MD
Graduate Student, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University
Anne Carson
Senior Administrative Assistant to Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer
Contact Information
Jonathan.Chernoff@fccc.edu
Office Phone: 215-728-5319
Lab Phone: 215-728-5320
Fax: 215-728-3616
Office: W455
Lab: W422, W450-451
Contact Information
Jonathan.Chernoff@fccc.edu
Office Phone: 215-728-5319
Lab Phone: 215-728-5320
Fax: 215-728-3616
Office: W455
Lab: W422, W450-451
Cancer Center Director
Senior Vice President
Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology Research
Co-Leader, Cancer Biology
Research Program
Lab Overview
The process of neoplastic transformation can be conceptually divided into two components. The first of these, proliferative transformation, refers to the ability of transformed cells to bypass growth suppression signals, surviving and dividing when normal cells would not. The second, morphologic transformation, refers to loss of normal cytoskeletal architecture, often accompanied by decreased adhesion and acquisition of the ability to invade surrounding tissues. These two fundamental properties are intimately linked to one another, although experimentally they can be dissected apart through the use of gain-of-function and loss-of-function manipulation of signaling molecules. The overall focus this research is in uncovering the roles of key protein kinases that govern these two fundamental aspects of cancer biology.
As Deputy Director and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Chernoff coordinates and charts the future course of research at Fox Chase.
Chernoff joined the staff in 1991 as an associate member and was promoted to member with tenure in 1996. In 2002 he was promoted to be a senior member in Fox Chase Cancer Center's Basic Science division, the equivalent of a full professor in a university.
A molecular oncologist as well as a board-certified medical oncologist, Chernoff has a special interest in factors that control cell growth and movement, including oncogenes and anticancer or tumor-suppressor genes, and has made fundamental contributions in this research.
Chernoff earned his MD and his PhD in biochemistry in 1984 at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University Health Center of Pittsburgh and a clinical fellowship in medical oncology at Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. He then held a postdoctoral fellowship in cellular and developmental biology at Harvard University before coming to Fox Chase.
In recognition of his national reputation in molecular oncology and biochemistry, Chernoff also holds the Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology.
Education
Educational Background
- PhD, Biochemistry, Mt. Sinai School of Medcine, New York, NY, 1984
- MD, Biochemistry, Mt. Sinai School of Medcine, New York, NY, 1984
- BA, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale College, New Haven, CT, 1978
Honors & Awards
- Faculty of 1000 (2007-present)
- Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology research (2008-present)
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2017)
- AACR, Educational Session Leader (2014)
- Pennsylvania Drug Discovery Institute, Drug Discovery Award (2013)
- Senior Fellow, American Asthma Assn (2008-2011)
- Chair: NF2 Preclinical Consortium (2011-2012)
- American Cancer Society, Southeast PA division, Scientific Research Award (2010)
- Vice-Chair, FASEB “Small GTPases” (2008)
- Chair, GRC “Mechanisms of Cell Signaling (2007)
- Dozor Lecturer, Ben-Gurion University, Israel (2007)
- Leukemia Society of America Scholar Award, (1997-2002)
- ACS Research Scholar (1993-1998)
- W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Fellowship 1993-1996
- Pfizer Traveling Fellow (1996)
- B.S. cum laude, Yale University (1978)
Research Profile
Research Interests
- Rac1 signaling in malignant melanoma
- Regulation and role of p21-activated kinases in cancer
- Hippo tumor suppressor pathway
- Kras isoform-specific signaling
Lab Overview
The process of neoplastic transformation can be conceptually divided into two components. The first of these, proliferative transformation, refers to the ability of transformed cells to bypass growth suppression signals, suriviving and dividing when normal cells would not. The second, morphologic transformation, refers to loss of normal cytoskeletal architecture, often accompanied by decreased adhesion and acquisition of the ability to invade surrounding tissues. These two fundamental properties are intimately linked to one another, although experimentally they can be dissected apart through the use of gain-of-function and loss-of-function manupulation of signaling molecules. The overall focus this research is in uncovering the roles of protein phosphorylation in governing these two fundamental aspects of cancer biology.
Lab Staff
Cristina Uribe-Alvarez, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Dorothy Benton, BS
Graduate Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Konstantin Budagyan, BS
Graduate Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Alexa Cannon, BS
Graduate Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Sofiia Karchugina, MD
Graduate Student, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University
Anne Carson
Senior Administrative Assistant to Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer
Publications
Selected Publications
Additional Publications
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