Dr. Scott Lowe is a preeminent cancer geneticist whose pioneering work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of tumor suppressor mechanisms. He currently serves as Chair of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's Sloan Kettering Institute and as an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. After receiving his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he established his independent research program at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he made seminal contributions to the field of cancer genetics. In 2011, he transitioned his laboratory to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he assumed leadership of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program. His career trajectory exemplifies the integration of basic science discovery with translational applications in oncology.
Dr. Lowe is renowned for his groundbreaking research on the p53 tumor suppressor network, which is mutated in nearly half of all human cancers, fundamentally advancing our understanding of how genetic alterations contribute to tumorigenesis. His laboratory's discovery of oncogene-induced senescence established a critical tumor-suppressive mechanism that has reshaped cancer biology and informed therapeutic approaches. His work connecting p53 gene mutation status with tumor responsiveness to chemotherapy provided foundational evidence for the era of personalized cancer medicine. By pioneering the integration of sophisticated mouse models, genetic tools, and genomic approaches, his research has elucidated fundamental mechanisms of cancer development and identified numerous therapeutic targets now in clinical trials. His laboratory's recent development of cell therapy approaches to remove excessive senescent cells represents a novel strategy with potential applications for both cancer and age-related pathologies.
As a leader in the field, Dr. Lowe has been instrumental in fostering interdisciplinary collaborations that bridge basic cancer biology with clinical applications at Memorial Sloan Kettering. His laboratory continues to innovate by combining single-cell analytic approaches with advanced mouse models to study cell state dynamics and immune interactions during tumor progression and therapy. He plays a significant role in training the next generation of cancer researchers and has mentored numerous scientists who have gone on to establish their own successful research programs. His leadership extends to directing the Geoffrey Beene Center for Cancer Research at MSKCC, where he oversees a comprehensive program focused on translating basic discoveries into clinical applications. Ongoing research in his laboratory explores how environmental factors like obesity and aging interact with tumor-suppressive programs, with the goal of developing novel therapeutic strategies that exploit cancer-specific vulnerabilities.
