Renee Read, PhD, MPH

Biography

Renee Read, PhD, MPH, is an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Read serves as co-leader of the Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

Education

Dr. Read earned her PhD in Developmental Biology and Biology and Biomedical Sciences from Washington University. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies with co-mentors at the University of California - San Diego. She earned her MPH in Applied Epidemiology from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health.

Titles & Roles

• Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology

  Emory University School of Medicine
• Co-Leader, Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program

  Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Research

Dr. Read is a developmental neurobiologist specializing in neuro-oncology. Her collaborative research program focuses on primary brain tumors, including high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and schwannomas. She investigates the functional roles of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathways and their key effectors in brain tumors, with an emphasis on developing therapies that target tumor cell–specific dependencies and intercellular communication within the tumor microenvironment.

Her program employs multidisciplinary experimental strategies, emphasizing advanced model systems for brain tumors, including animal models and patient-derived human models. As principal investigator, she established a bank of patient-derived HGG stem cell cultures and matched xenografts, which have supported multiple publications and collaborative studies, as well as the generation of novel organoid models of HGG. These resources have enabled a broad range of research collaborations and publications.

In partnership with faculty from the departments of Neurosurgery and Hematology and Medical Oncology, Dr. Read led investigator-initiated phase 0 and phase 1/2 clinical trials of the FDA-approved drug verteporfin as a potential new therapy for HGGs. This work has been supported by the Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation, the Rally Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. Her laboratory, in collaboration with other neuro-oncology researchers, has also uncovered novel links between RTK mutant variants and tumor plasticity in both therapeutic response and resistance, opening new avenues for rational combination therapies.

Dr. Read’s overarching goal is to discover and advance new therapies for patients with primary brain tumors.

Grants

Publications

Awards

Dr. Read has earned the following awards and honors:

• Biological Discovery through Chemical Innovation Accelerator Grant, Emory University, 2022
• Researcher Appreciation Day Recognition Award, Emory University School of Medicine, 2021
• Emerging Leader Award, for innovative early-stage clinical trials for glioblastoma, Ben and Katherine Ivy Foundation, 2020
• School of Medicine Dean’s Imagine, Innovate, and Impact I3 Research Award for breakthrough research projects, Emory University, 2019
• SunTrust Award-Billian Family Research Scholar, Winship Cancer Institute, 2014
• Phil Jory Award, Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation, 2013
• K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2009
• Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, American Brain Tumor Association, 2008
• NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, 2005
• Jakschik Award, in recognition of research excellence, Washington University, 2003