Alex Kentsis

Alex Kentsis, MD, PhD, is a physician scientist and cancer biologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), serving as Director of the Tow Center for Developmental Oncology. His work bridges pediatric oncology and molecular pharmacology, focusing on the biology of childhood cancers and the development of targeted therapies. He is affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics, Center for Experimental Therapeutics, and Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

• MD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
• PhD, New York University
• AB and SM, University of Chicago

Dr. Kentsis’s research explores the role of DNA transposases like PGBD5 in pediatric solid tumors, epigenetic vulnerabilities in leukemias, and synthetic lethal strategies for drug resistance. His lab identified AZD6738 as a promising agent against PGBD5-expressing tumors and co-authored the foundational book Developmental Oncology: Principles and Therapy of Cancers of Children and Young Adults.

Recent studies highlight his team’s focus on epigenetics, DNA repair, and transcription factor complexes in leukemias and sarcomas. Collaborative efforts include phase I/II trials for relapsed tumors and innovations in proteomics and chromatin architecture.

• Louise and Allston Boyer Award for Clinical Research
• Pershing Square Sohn Prize
• Rita Allen Foundation Scholar Award
• St. Baldrick’s Robert J. Arceci Innovation Award
• Elected Member of American Society for Clinical Investigation
• Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology mentorship