Brian J. Druker, M.D.
- Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, School of Medicine
- Associate Dean, Oncology, Office of the Dean, School of Medicine
- JELD-WEN Chair of Leukemia Research
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, School of Medicine
- Program in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, School of Medicine
Biography
Brian Druker, M.D., revolutionized the treatment of cancer through research that resulted in the first drug to target the molecular defect of a cancer while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Marketed under the name Gleevec®, his discovery turned a once-fatal cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia, into a manageable condition.
Treatment with Gleevec received FDA approval in record time, was featured on the cover of Time magazine, and established Druker as a pioneer in the field of precision medicine. Most important, his discovery became a new proof of principle for targeted therapies, spurring the development of more than 50 similar precision therapies for other cancers.
Druker now is applying key principles of precision medicine to early detection. Earlier detection of lethal cancers represents the greatest opportunity to increase cancer survival rates. Thanks to $1 billion in philanthropic funding, Druker is developing a large-scale early detection program that builds upon the scientific strengths of OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute.
Druker has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Sjöberg Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Warren Alpert Prize from Harvard Medical School, the Lasker-DeBakey Award for Clinical Medical Research, the Japan Prize in Healthcare and Medical Technology, the Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science, and the Prince Mahidol Award for outstanding achievements in medicine and public health worldwide. He has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Education and training
-
Degrees
- M.D., 1981, University of California San Diego
-
Residency
- Barnes Hospital, Washington University, St. Louis
-
Fellowship
- Medical oncology - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston
-
Certifications
- American Board of Internal Medicine, 1984
Memberships and associations:
- Institute of Medicine: National Academy of Sciences
- American Association of Physicians
- National Academy of Sciences
- American Society for Clinical Investigation
- American Society of Hematology
- American Society of Clinical Oncology
- American Association for Cancer Research
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- American Society for Microbiology
- Children’s Oncology Group
- The American Society for Cell Biology
Publications
Elsevier pure profilePublications
A study to assess the efficacy of enasidenib and risk-adapted addition of azacitidine in newly diagnosed IDH2-mutant AML
Blood AdvancesBeat-AML 2024 ELN–refined risk stratification for older adults with newly diagnosed AML given lower-intensity therapy
Blood AdvancesComprehensive proteogenomic characterization of rare kidney tumors
Cell Reports MedicineMapping the proteogenomic landscape enables prediction of drug response in acute myeloid leukemia
Cell Reports MedicinePan-cancer proteogenomics characterization of tumor immunity
CellAsxl1 deletion disrupts MYC and RNA polymerase II function in granulocyte progenitors
LeukemiaClinical Correlates of Venetoclax-Based Combination Sensitivities to Augment Acute Myeloid Leukemia Therapy
Blood cancer discoveryComparison and validation of the 2022 European LeukemiaNet guidelines in acute myeloid leukemia
Blood AdvancesDeep learning integrates histopathology and proteogenomics at a pan-cancer level
Cell Reports MedicineDisruption of the MYC Superenhancer Complex by Dual Targeting of FLT3 and LSD1 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Molecular Cancer ResearchEntospletinib with decitabine in acute myeloid leukemia with mutant TP53 or complex karyotype
CancerHistopathologic and proteogenomic heterogeneity reveals features of clear cell renal cell carcinoma aggressiveness
Cancer CellIntegrative multi-omic cancer profiling reveals DNA methylation patterns associated with therapeutic vulnerability and cell-of-origin
Cancer CellKinase Mutations and Imatinib Response in Patients with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
Journal of Clinical OncologyMolecular response in newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia
HaematologicaPan-cancer analysis of post-translational modifications reveals shared patterns of protein regulation
CellPan-cancer proteogenomics connects oncogenic drivers to functional states
CellPatient-Specific Targeting of the T-Cell Receptor Variable Region as a Therapeutic Strategy in Clonal T-Cell Diseases
Clinical Cancer ResearchProteogenomic insights suggest druggable pathways in endometrial carcinoma
Cancer CellRisk of progression in chronic phase-chronic myeloid leukemia patients eligible for tyrosine kinase inhibitor discontinuation
American Journal of HematologySamples from patients with AML show high concordance in detection of mutations by NGS at local institutions vs central laboratories
Blood AdvancesSecondary fusion proteins as a mechanism of BCR::ABL1 kinase-independent resistance in chronic myeloid leukaemia
British Journal of Haematology