Todd R. Golub stands as a preeminent physician-scientist whose visionary leadership has shaped modern cancer genomics research. He currently serves as Director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a position he assumed in January 2021 following a decade as the institute's chief scientific officer. Golub maintains dual appointments as the Charles A. Dana Investigator in Human Cancer Genetics at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. His academic foundation includes a B.A. from Carleton College and an M.D. from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, with clinical training completed at Children's Hospital Boston and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. As a founding core member of the Broad Institute, Golub played a pivotal role in establishing the organization in 2004 and launching its influential Cancer Program.
Golub pioneered the application of genomics to cancer biology, fundamentally transforming how researchers understand and classify tumors through innovative gene-expression analysis. His groundbreaking work on the molecular basis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) led directly to changes in clinical treatment that are now standard of care worldwide. Together with colleagues, he co-developed essential genomic tools including Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and the Connectivity Map, which use gene expression profiles to uncover relationships between cellular states, gene function, and drug action. Golub's leadership in initiating the Drug Repurposing Hub has created a comprehensive resource characterizing the biological effects of thousands of existing drugs, accelerating the discovery of novel therapeutic applications for cancer treatment. These innovations have catalyzed a paradigm shift in cancer research, enabling more precise molecular classifications and targeted therapeutic approaches that continue to influence the field.
Beyond his research achievements, Golub has cultivated a collaborative scientific ecosystem that bridges institutions and disciplines across the greater Boston area, fostering an entrepreneurial and supportive environment where researchers at all career levels can pursue transformative ideas. He has mentored numerous trainees throughout his career, empowering young scientists to take risks and pursue bold ideas with extraordinary potential, while also serving on advisory boards for major research institutions including the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the National Cancer Institute. Golub continues to champion interdisciplinary approaches to cancer research through the Broad Institute's evolving programs, which maintain the Tuesday morning cancer program meetings that originated over 25 years ago and formed the foundation for the Broad Institute itself. His leadership in establishing the Cancer Program at Broad created a nimble, cross-institutional community that has become a model for collaborative biomedical research. Golub's enduring commitment to connecting diverse scientific perspectives continues to drive innovation in cancer genomics and therapeutic discovery, positioning his leadership at the forefront of the next generation of precision medicine approaches.
