Scientific Areas of Expertise: Developmental Therapeutics; Precision Oncology; Sarcoma
For central contributions to the development of novel treatments and personalized cancer care regimens for sarcoma patients, which have led to FDA and worldwide regulatory approval of various targeted therapies, including imatinib, pazopanib, and sunitinib, medications that have significantly altered the standard of care for sarcoma patients and those affected by gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
A distinguished leader and innovator, Dr. Demetri has made central contributions to the development of novel rationally targeted anti-cancer therapeutics that have revolutionized personalized cancer care regimens for cancer patients. Dr. Demetri pioneered the development of imatinib, one of the first targeted anticancer therapies, which is now approved as a treatment for 10 indications, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), as well as chronic myeloid leukemia, and other hematologic malignancies. Following the noteworthy success of imatinib, his work led to other Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and worldwide regulatory approvals of other such “smart drugs,” including sunitinib and pazopanib, which have changed the standard of care for patients suffering from sarcomas and GIST. Additionally, he has been instrumental in promoting sarcoma education and awareness and its challenges to patients, their families, and the public.
Dr. Demetri has designed and implemented a world-renowned clinical research center focused on the treatment of sarcomas that continues to lead the way in the development of personalized cancer therapeutics for specific subtypes of sarcomas. His ongoing research focuses heavily on translational and clinical science to accelerate the development of novel experimental therapeutic agents targeting specific signaling pathways in molecularly defined subtypes of cancer, with a major focus on mesenchymal neoplasms and sarcomas. As co-director of the Ludwig Center at Harvard and director of the Bertarelli Rare Cancer Initiative at Harvard Medical School, he is devoted to building robust, long-term research strategies to target cancers based on genomic, metabolomic, and immunobiological criteria of vulnerability based on defined molecular mechanisms.
Selected Awards and Honors
2020 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Alexandria,
Virginia
2014 Giants of Cancer Care Award, OncLive, Cranbury, New Jersey
2010 Hope Funds for Cancer Research Award for Developmental Therapeutics, Hope Funds for Cancer Research, Newport, Rhode Island
2009 Alexander Bodini Foundation Prize for Scientific Excellence in Medicine, American-Italian Cancer Foundation, New York, New York
2004 Tisch Family Outstanding Achievement Award, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
2004 Claire W. and Richard P. Morse Research Award, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
2003 Nobility in Science Award, Sarcoma Foundation of America, Damascus, Maryland
2002 Emil J. Freireich Award in Clinical Cancer Research, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston,
Texas
1993-1996 Focused Giving Award, Johnson and Johnson Foundation, New Brunswick, New Jersey
1992-1995 Career Development Award, American Cancer Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1988-1991 Oncology Basic Research Grant Award, Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, New York