Professional Bio
Justin M. Balko, PhD, PharmD, is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is an Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and Professor of Medicine and Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, and co-leads the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Breast Cancer Research Program.
He obtained his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the State University of New York at Buffalo. After completing his PhD in the Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics track of the Pharmaceutical Sciences program at the University of Kentucky, he joined the laboratory of Carlos L. Arteaga, MD, in 2009 as a postdoctoral research fellow.
Dr. Balko has published over 150 peer-reviewed contributions in the field of molecular oncology and translational oncology research, primarily in the breast cancer field. His laboratory focuses on identifying biomarkers and mechanisms of drug sensitivity or resistance in breast cancer and other tumor types, enhancing response rates to immunotherapy by targeting cancer-specific signals of immune suppression, and the biological mechanisms of immune-related adverse events to immunotherapies.
His laboratory receives or has received funding from the NIH/NCI, the Department of Defense, The IBC Network Foundation, the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research, The Mary Kay Foundation, Stand Up 2 Cancer/AACR, and Susan G. Komen.
Relevant Links
Publications
Education
PharmD - University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 2004
PhD - Pharmaceutical Sciences - University of Kentucky, 2009
Fellowship - Heme/Onc - Vanderbilt University, 2013
Contact
Email
Kimryn.Rathmell@Vumc.Org
Address
777 Preston Research Building
2220 Pierce Ave
Nashville, TN 37232-6307