Affiliation: Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, NCI-designated Cancer Center

Dr. Cosimo Commisso earned his PhD in 2008 at the University of Toronto in the Department of Molecular Genetics and completed his Postdoctoral training at New York University’s Langone Medical Center in 2014. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NCI-designated Cancer Center. Dr. Commisso made a seminal contribution to the field of cancer research by identifying the mechanism by which Ras-mutated tumors augment their glutamine supply through boosting macropinocytosis-dependent protein catabolism. In his follow up studies, it was established that human pancreatic tumors scavenge extracellular protein via macropinocytosis. The Commisso laboratory has developed extensive protocols to evaluate macropinocytosis in tumor cells and tissue, a methodology that could be utilized to stratify patient samples. Current research in Dr. Commisso’s lab is centered on identifying the underlying mechanisms that drive macropinocytosis in Ras-mutated tumors and understanding the role of nutrient stress in tumor progression. Dr. Commisso’s work has garnered several awards, including a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada award, an Ontario Scholar Award, two Canadian Institutes of Health Research awards, two AACR Pancreatic Cancer Action Network awards, a Cancer Centers Council Pedal the Cause Team Science Award and most recently a Career Development Award from the Department of Defense.