About
Vivek Mittal is a tenured Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine, where he leads the VIVO Lab. He is affiliated with the Graduate School of Medical Sciences and the Cell & Developmental Biology PhD program. His research bridges basic science and clinical translation, focusing on the tumor microenvironment and mechanisms driving cancer progression and metastasis.
- Postdoctoral training: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1999
- Promoted to Assistant Professor at Cold Spring Harbor
- 2008: Recruited to Weill Cornell Medicine as Associate Professor and Director of Research, Neuberger Berman Lung Cancer Center
- Current: Tenured Professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr. Mittal’s research centers on the reprogrammed tumor microenvironment in cancer. His lab investigates epigenetic regulation (particularly EZH2/PRC2), chromosomal instability, endoplasmic reticulum stress, immunosuppressive mechanisms, and metabolic alterations—especially in triple-negative breast cancer and lung cancer. Using single-cell and spatial multi-omics (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics), preclinical models, organoids, and human clinical specimens, his team identifies therapeutic vulnerabilities. Key discoveries include identifying metastasis-initiating cells in TNBC regulated by EZH2, linking EZH2 to chromosomal instability via centrosome amplification, and uncovering copper-dependent metabolic rewiring in metastasis. In lung cancer, his lab found that club cell secretions can reverse myeloid-mediated immunosuppression and that PPP agonism enhances T cell function. He is also developing mRNA LNP vaccines for lung cancer immunoprevention.
His work has been published in leading journals including Nature, Science, Nature Cancer, Cancer Discovery, and Cancer Cell. Although specific publications are not listed in the text, the research themes span cancer biology, immunometabolism, epigenetics, and translational therapeutics, indicating a strong trend toward mechanistic discovery and therapeutic development.
Dr. Mittal has received several honors and distinctions:
- University Grants Commission Fellowship
- Dr V Ramalingaswami INSA Chair Awardee
- Co-Chair, Session on Biology of Metastases, ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium
- Plenary speaker, The Australian Health Medical Research Congress
He actively mentors students and trainees through the PhD programs at Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, particularly in Cell & Developmental Biology. His lab is supported by institutional and likely federal or foundation grants, enabling cutting-edge research in cancer biology and therapy development. Through close collaboration between basic scientists and clinicians, Dr. Mittal’s work contributes to the design of future clinical trials and novel therapeutic strategies aimed at improving outcomes for high-risk cancer patients.
Dr. Mittal leads the VIVO Lab, which employs an interdisciplinary team using advanced technologies such as spatial transcriptomics (e.g., Hyperion imaging, MALDI imaging mass spectrometry), single-cell omics, and preclinical modeling. The lab fosters a collaborative environment between basic researchers and clinicians, accelerating the translation of discoveries into potential therapies.
