Forest M. White

Professor Forest M. White is a faculty member at MIT's Department of Biological Engineering, where he holds the Ned C. and Janet Bemis Rice Professorship. He is affiliated with the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine. His research focuses on systems biology and computational modeling of signaling networks in cancer, particularly at the tumor-immune interface.

• Education: B.S. in Chemistry (Framingham State College, 1993), Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry (Florida State University, 1997)
• Professional Journey: Postdoc at University of Virginia, Research Scientist at MDS Proteomics, Assistant Professor at MIT (2003), Mitsui Career Development Professor (2005-2008)

White employs high-resolution mass spectrometry to analyze protein phosphorylation and antigen presentation in cancer models, complementing genomic/transcriptomic approaches. His lab has identified chronic stress response enzymes linking high-fat diets to metabolic dysfunction and discovered resistance mechanisms in cancer therapies through phosphoproteomics.

Scientific Awards:

• Mitsui Career Development Professorship (2005-2008)
• Ruth and Joel Spira Award for Excellence in Teaching (2010)
• Fellowship from the Ludwig Center at MIT

The White Lab actively recruits trainees (undergraduates, graduates, postdocs) through programs like MSRP, CSB, and HST. His work is supported by grants from Break Through Cancer and Ludwig Center, with collaborations spanning Cima Lab, Swanson Biotechnology Center, and MIT Koch Institute.