A world-renowned cancer biologist, Dr. Levine is best known for his 1979 discovery of the tumor suppressor gene p53, a molecule that inhibits tumor development. His group elucidated the functions of this gene and its role in viral mediated cancers, and his research has fueled the design of a new generation of anti-cancer therapies.
Dr. Levine’s current research focuses on studying the relationship between p53 mutations and breast cancer stem cells. Using RNA microarrays, he identified the stem cell signatures of breast cancers with p53 mutations. These observations have been confirmed with several other cancers as well. He is currently developing a diagnostic tool to identify breast cancers with poor prognostic outcome. This may serve as a biomarker and help identify appropriate drug treatments for a specific tumor.
Career Highlights
2012 Vallee Foundation Visiting Professorship, Harvard Medical School
2012 Onsager Medal, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
2010 Steven C. Beering Award for the Advancement of Biomedical Science, Indiana University School of Medicine
2009 Medal of Honor, American Cancer Society
2008 Kirk A. Landon-AACR Prize for Basic Cancer Research, American Association for Cancer Research
2005 Freedom to Discover Award, Bristol Myers Squibb
2001 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research
2000 Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Biomedical Research, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1999 Charles S. Mott Prize, General Motors Cancer Research Foundation
1998-2002 President and CEO, Robert Harriet Heilbrunn Professor of Cancer Biology, Rockefeller University
1998 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize for Biology or Biochemistry
1995 Elected Member, Institute of Medicine
1991 Elected Member, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.
1968 Professor of Biochemistry, Princeton University
1966 PhD, University of Pennsylvania