Dr. Douglas Green is a preeminent molecular immunologist whose pioneering work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of cellular life and death mechanisms. He currently serves as the Peter C. Doherty Endowed Chair of Immunology and Chair of the Department of Immunology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital where he also co-leads the Cancer Biology Program. A distinguished scholar he earned his PhD in Immunology from Yale University in 1981 following his bachelor's degree in Biology from the same institution. His illustrious career spans over three decades including faculty positions at the University of Alberta beginning in 1985 and leadership roles at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology before his appointment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 2005.
Dr. Green's seminal research has revolutionized the field of cell death biology establishing foundational principles that explain how cells regulate their own demise through apoptosis and other mechanisms. His laboratory has made transformative contributions to understanding the molecular pathways of programmed cell death particularly how these processes influence cancer development immune responses and therapeutic interventions. The author of the influential textbook Cell Death Means To An End Dr. Green has elucidated critical connections between cell death mechanisms and immune cell function revealing how caspase-8 directs cellular fate decisions and identifying novel proteins that can rescue doomed cells. With over 600 publications to his name his work has provided essential insights that have shaped therapeutic approaches targeting cell death pathways in cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Beyond his research accomplishments Dr. Green has profoundly influenced the scientific community through his leadership roles as Editor-in-Chief of Oncogene from 2009 to 2016 and as Deputy Editor of Science Advances. His election to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020 recognized his exceptional contributions to immunology and cellular biology. Dr. Green has fostered a vibrant research environment characterized by collaboration and intellectual exchange mentoring numerous scientists who have gone on to establish their own successful research programs. Currently his laboratory continues to explore the intricate relationship between T cell activation metabolic reprogramming and cell fate decisions with particular focus on the c-Myc oncogene and its role in determining whether T cells become effector or memory cells. This ongoing work promises to yield new insights into cancer immunotherapy and immune system regulation cementing Dr. Green's legacy as one of the most influential immunologists of his generation.
