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 obtained his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the State University of New York at Buffalo. After completion of 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 is an Ingram Associate Professor of Cancer Research and Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, and co-leads the VICC Breast Cancer Research Program. He has published over 100 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, ways to enhance 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