Dr. Andrew Feinberg is a preeminent leader in the field of epigenetics and molecular medicine whose career has been defined by groundbreaking discoveries that reshaped our understanding of cancer biology. He currently serves as the Director of the Center for Epigenetics, Chief of the Division of Molecular Medicine, and the King Fahd Professor of Medicine, Oncology, Molecular Biology & Genetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. After completing an accelerated medical program at Johns Hopkins University where he earned his B.A. in 1973 and M.D. in 1976, he furthered his training with a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in genetics at Hopkins, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental biology at UCSD. Dr. Feinberg pursued his pioneering epigenetics research while serving as an HHMI Investigator at the University of Michigan from 1986 to 1994 before returning to Johns Hopkins as the King Fahd Professor of Molecular Medicine.
Dr. Feinberg is internationally recognized as the founder of cancer epigenetics following his seminal 1983 discovery of epigenetic alterations in human cancer conducted with Bert Vogelstein, which established the foundation for understanding how gene expression changes contribute to cancer development independent of DNA sequence mutations. He made the groundbreaking discovery of gene imprinting in humans, revealing how certain genes are expressed in a parent-of-origin specific manner, a finding that transformed our understanding of genetic inheritance and disease mechanisms. His research has profoundly elucidated the molecular basis of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and numerous other conditions, demonstrating how epigenetic dysregulation contributes to human disease. Dr. Feinberg's early work was initially controversial in the scientific community, with warnings that continuing this research would jeopardize his funding, yet his perseverance established epigenetics as a cornerstone of modern molecular biology and cancer research.
As the Director of the Center for Epigenetics at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Feinberg has cultivated one of the world's premier research hubs dedicated to advancing epigenetic science and its clinical applications across multiple disease domains. His leadership extends to his role as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor with appointments spanning the School of Medicine, Whiting School of Engineering, and Bloomberg School of Public Health, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his influential work. In December 2024, he was honored for his pioneering contributions to epigenetics research, underscoring the enduring significance of his discoveries that continue to drive innovation in the field. Dr. Feinberg remains actively engaged in cutting-edge research, mentoring the next generation of scientists, and translating epigenetic discoveries into novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cancer and other diseases, ensuring his legacy as a visionary who transformed our understanding of the molecular basis of human health and disease.
