Research Interests
Cancer cell checkpoints; regulation and role of apoptosis and autophagy in the development and maintenance of cancer; cancer cell metabolism; cancer prevention and therapeutics; cancer and aging.
Current Affiliations
Center director, executive vice president, and chief scientific officer, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida; senior member and professor, tumor microenvironment and metastasis, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.
Previous Positions
Associate center director, basic science, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida (2014-2019); professor and chair, cancer biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida (2006-2014); adjunct professor, molecular sciences (2005-2006), adjunct associate professor, biochemistry (1996-2001), and adjunct assistant professor, biochemistry (1992-1999), University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee; full member, biochemistry (2000-2006), associate member, biochemistry (1995-2000), and assistant member, biochemistry (1989-1995), St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
Education
PhD, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan (1985); BS, biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine (1979).
Postdoctoral Training
Senior staff fellow, viral pathology (1987-1989), and staff fellow, viral pathology (1985-1987), Laboratory of Viral Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland.
Selected AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Member, AACR Science Policy and Government Affairs Committee (2025-2028); member, AACR Finance and Audit Committee (2024-2027); member, AACR Annual Meeting Program Committee (2024-2025); chair, Basic and Translational Research Subcommittee and member, AACR Cancer Centers Alliance Steering Committee (2022-present); chair, Symposium, AACR Annual Meeting (2006); cochair, Session, AACR Annual Meeting (2005); senior editor, Molecular Cancer Research (2002-2013); faculty member, AACR Molecular Biology in Clinical Oncology Workshop (2002 and 2003); invited speaker, AACR Annual Meeting (2003); invited speaker, AACR Annual Meeting (2001); associate editor, Cancer Research (2000-2004).
Selected Non-AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Keynote speaker, Gordon Research Conference on Polyamines (2019); extramural advisor, cancer cell biology program, Winship Cancer Institute (2019); organizer, 9th Annual International Mdm2 Workshop (2018); session chair, Moffitt Personalized Medicine Conference (2015); keynote speaker, 3rd International Conference on Polyamines (2014); keynote speaker, C.U.R.E. Symposium (2012); scientific advisory council, Florida Center for Brain Tumor Research, University of Florida (2006-2014); external scientific advisory board, Cellgate, Inc. (2005-2008); extramural scientific advisory board, The Blood Research Institute/Versiti (2004-present); staff fellow and senior staff fellow, National Cancer Institute (1984-1989).