Gregory Lesinski, PhD, MPH, has been named Winship Cancer Institute's associate director for basic research.
Gregory Lesinski, PhD, MPH, professor and vice chair for basic research in Emory University School of Medicine's Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, has been named Winship Cancer Institute's associate director for basic research, effective Sept. 1. In this role, he will provide oversight and direction for the development and growth of Winship's basic scientific activities across the cancer center’s four research programs. Adam Marcus, PhD, who had served in the position since 2017, was recently named Winship deputy director.
"Dr. Lesinski brings extensive expertise in laboratory-based research and an exceptional track record of driving high-impact, bench-to-bedside discoveries," says Suresh Ramalingam, MD, Winship's executive director. "Since joining Winship in 2016, he has enriched the collaborative, team science environment of our cancer center, and we know he will be outstanding in this new role."
Lesinski, a member of Winship's Cancer Immunology Research Program, is a funded investigator with several National Cancer Institute (NCI) grants supporting a portfolio of highly collaborative translational research projects. His research is focused on translating novel immune and targeted therapies into clinical trials for patients with solid tumor malignancies, including pancreas, cholangiocarcinoma, colon, melanoma, and prostate cancer. His laboratory has advanced our understanding of immune suppression in cancer, the role of cytokines in the tumor stroma, and chronic inflammation as a mediator of carcinogenesis.
"I am incredibly honored to serve in this role," says Lesinski. "Dr. Marcus has done an amazing job, and I look forward to building off the strong foundation in basic research that he has worked hard to establish over the last several years." He adds, "We are fortunate to have a diverse group of basic science faculty at Winship who work tirelessly to innovate in the laboratory. I am excited to serve and empower them to make discoveries impacting our approach to fundamental questions in cancer research. It is also very clear that due to our collaborative culture, Winship is uniquely equipped to apply discoveries made in the laboratory to improve care for patients in the state of Georgia and beyond."
