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Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program

The Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling (GCRS) Program builds on The Wistar Institute’s success in foundational cancer research as a unified, highly interdisciplinary program in basic & translational cancer research that capitalizes on the technological advances powering the field — from improved sequencing methods to computational biology techniques.

The Program acknowledges and highlights the following fundamental questions that must be considered in advancing the field of cancer research:

  • The vast interconnectivity of modern cancer biology
  • The key role of studying gene regulation events genome-wide
  • The importance of cell signaling in the control of gene expression
  • How genomic alterations determine cancer cell fates and disease outcomes

rendering of Epstein Barr Virus protein

The GRCS Program brings together investigators of complementary expertise to better understand and overcome the complex challenges in cancer biology and therapy, and the strengths of scientists in the Program strengths include molecular, structural, chemical, and computational biology, as well as single-cell and multi-omics sequencing.

The approach of the GRCS Program recognizes the complexity of gene expression changes that arise from large biological systems — from highly networked molecular mechanisms on genomic scales to cellular events stemming from cell-to-cell communications in microenvironments and immunological responses.

Investigators in the Program take mechanistic approaches to biological fundamentals — gene regulation, chromatin biology, RNA processing, and protein structure & modifications — and combine them with broad cancer biology questions, including genome integrity, innate immune signaling, viral oncology, tumor immunity, and tumor neoantigen identification for cancer vaccine strategies. 

Leadership and Members

Leadership

Paul Lieberman, Ph.D.

Program Leader
  • Hilary Koprowski, M.D., Endowed Professor and Program Leader, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Director, Center for Chemical Biology & Translational Medicine

Bin Tian, Ph.D.

Program Co-leader
  • Professor and Co-leader, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program

  • Co-director, The Wistar Institute Center for Systems and Computational Biology
Members

Dario Altieri, M.D.

  • President and Chief Executive Officer

  • Director, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Robert and Penny Fox Distinguished Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program

Qing Chen, M.D., Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Scientific Director, Imaging Facility

Daniel Claiborne, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor, Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center

  • Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Scientific Director, Histotechnology Facility

Jason Diaz, Ph.D.

  • Director of Education and Inclusive Excellence, Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Education and Training Center

Alessandro Gardini, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

Andrew Kossenkov, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor, Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center

  • Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program,
    Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Scientific Director, Bioinformatics Facility 

Jozef Madzo, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Director, Bioinformatics Facility 

Troy Messick, Ph.D.

  • Research Associate Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

Luis Montaner, D.V.M., D.Phil.

  • Executive Vice President

  • Director, HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center

  • Herbert Kean, M.D., Family Professor

  • Associate Director for Shared Resources, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Scientific Director, Humanized Models of Disease Facility

  • Scientific Director, Flow Cytometry Facility

  • Scientific Director, Biomedical Research Support Facility

Kazuko Nishikura, Ph.D.

  • Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

Alex Price, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

Kavitha Sarma, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

Avi Srivastava, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

Italo Tempera, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

  • Associate Director for Cancer Research Career Enhancement, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

Filippo Veglia, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor, Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

    David B. Weiner, Ph.D.

    • Executive Vice President

    • Director, Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center

    • W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Distinguished Professor in Cancer Research

    • Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center

    • Professor Emeritus, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine