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About

Dr. Victor E. Velculescu is a prominent figure in the field of cancer genomics and precision medicine. He currently serves as a Professor of Oncology, Pathology, and Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and is Co-Director of the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Velculescu is renowned for leading the first genome-wide sequencing analysis of human cancers, which revealed critical genes and pathways involved in tumorigenesis. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of cancer, identifying key mutations, such as PIK3CA, which are crucial to cancer development. Dr. Velculescu is also credited with coining the term "transcriptome" to describe global gene expression patterns in cancer cells. His groundbreaking research has directly contributed to FDA-approved therapies and diagnostic tests, particularly those targeting PI3K and IDH1. In addition, his innovative work on liquid biopsy and artificial intelligence for early cancer detection has the potential to revolutionize non-invasive diagnostic methods, making cancer monitoring and treatment more effective and personalized. Dr. Velculescu’s academic journey began at Stanford University, where he graduated with Honors in Biological Sciences, followed by earning both his M.D. and Ph.D. in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University. His extensive contributions to cancer research have earned him numerous prestigious awards and honors, including the AACR Team Science Award, the Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research, and recognition as a Highly Cited Researcher. He has founded several companies, including Personal Genome Diagnostics and DELFI Diagnostics, aiming to integrate cutting-edge genomic technologies into clinical practice. As a member of several scientific advisory boards and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Dr. Velculescu plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of cancer research and treatment. His current research focuses on advancing cancer genomics, liquid biopsy methods, AI-driven cancer detection, and precision medicine strategies for improving therapeutic outcomes. Through his innovations, Dr. Velculescu has significantly contributed to the global effort to improve cancer detection, treatment, and patient outcomes.

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Skills

Experience

Co-Director

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

Jan-2009 to Present

Publication

  • dott image March, 2018

Comparative lesion sequencing provides insights into tumor evolution

We show that the times separating the birth of benign, invasive, and metastatic tumor cells can be determined by analysis of the mutations they have in common. When combined with prior clini...

  • dott image November, 2017

The Genomic Landscapes of Human Breast and Colorectal Cancers

Human cancer is caused by the accumulation of mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. To catalog the genetic changes that occur during tumorigenesis, we isolated DNA from 11 breas...

  • dott image December, 2014

Detection of Circulating Tumor DNA in Early- and Late-Stage Human Malignancies

Cancer evolves over time, without any warning signs. Similarly, the development of resistance to therapy generally becomes apparent only when there are obvious signs of tumor growth, at whic...

  • dott image March, 2013

Cancer Genome Landscapes

Over the past decade, comprehensive sequencing efforts have revealed the genomic landscapes of common forms of human cancer. For most cancer types, this landscape consists of a small number ...

  • dott image March, 2013

TERT promoter mutations occur frequently in gliomas and a subset of tumors derived from cells with low rates of self-renewal

Malignant cells, like all actively growing cells, must maintain their telomeres, but genetic mechanisms responsible for telomere maintenance in tumors have only recently been discovered. In ...

  • dott image December, 2012

Integrated genomic analyses identify ARID1A and ARID1B alterations in the childhood cancer neuroblastoma

Neuroblastomas are tumors of peripheral sympathetic neurons and are the most common solid tumor in children. To determine the genetic basis for neuroblastoma, we performed whole-genome seque...

  • dott image November, 2012

Detection of Chromosomal Alterations in the Circulation of Cancer Patients with Whole-Genome Sequencing

Clinical management of cancer patients could be improved through the development of noninvasive approaches for the detection of incipient, residual, and recurrent tumors. We describe an appr...

  • dott image January, 2012

ATM Mutations in Patients with Hereditary Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancers are the fourth most-common cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world, with >200,000 cases reported in 2010. Although up to 10% of these cases occur in familial p...

Exome Sequencing of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Reveals Inactivating Mutations in NOTCH1

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. To explore the genetic origins of this cancer, we used whole-exome sequencing and gene copy number an...

  • dott image January, 2011

DAXX/ATRX, MEN1, and mTOR Pathway Genes Are Frequently Altered in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are a rare but clinically important form of pancreatic neoplasia. To explore the genetic basis of PanNETs, we determined the exomic sequences of 10...