David A Largaespada

David A Largaespada is a Professor at the University of Minnesota's Medical School in the field of Pediatrics, with a focus on Hematology/Oncology. He is affiliated with major research centers including the Institute for Molecular Virology, Center for Genome Engineering, and Institute for Engineering in Medicine.

• Professor, Pediatrics, University of Minnesota
• Director, Center for Functional Genomics of Immunotherapy (2024–2026)
• Co-Investigator, Precision Medicine for MPNST (2024–2026)

His research spans cancer genetics, genomic instability, and transposon biology, with a particular emphasis on malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). He utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 screening, transposon mutagenesis, and precision medicine platforms to uncover tumor mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Recent articles highlight his work in:

• Genomic instability in MPNST
• Integrative diagnostics for nerve sheath tumors
• NRAS mutation effects in myeloid cancers
• Genomic approaches to SHH medulloblastoma

He collaborates extensively with researchers like David Odde and David Wood on projects funded by NIH, DoD, and foundations. Current grants include:

• NIH NIGMS: Mechanistic genome stability (2022–2026)
• DoD: MPNST precision medicine (2023–2026)
• NIH NCI: Immune engineering for poor prognosis cancers (2021–2026)