Andrew Godwin

Andrew Godwin is a Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he serves as the Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences and Director of Molecular Oncology in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. He is also the Deputy Director of the NCI-designated University of Kansas Cancer Center and the Founding Director of the Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine and Biospecimen Shared Resource.

Dr. Godwin is a leader in translational research and precision medicine, with a focus on molecular oncology, biomarker discovery, and genomic diagnostics. His work bridges basic and clinical science to improve cancer patient care, particularly in ovarian cancer, Ewing sarcoma, and breast cancer. He has contributed over 230 ovarian cancer-related publications and pioneered studies linking the PI3K/AKT pathway to cancer treatment targets.

His research program encompasses liquid biopsies using extracellular vesicles, molecular therapeutics, companion diagnostics, and clinical trial validation. He leads the Biomarker Discovery Laboratory and has secured over $250M in extramural funding, including a $11.4M NIH grant for precision medicine initiatives. His team has developed CELLSEARCH®, the first FDA-cleared test for circulating tumor cells.

Notable awards include the Dolph C. Simons, Sr. Higuchi Award (2020), Outstanding Mentorship in Pathology Award (2024), and multiple mentoring accolades from KU. He has mentored over 150 trainees across career stages and leads a multidisciplinary lab with expertise in genomics, proteomics, and bioengineering.

• Academic Roles:
  • Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences
  • Director, Molecular Oncology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
  • Deputy Director, KU Cancer Center
  • Founding Director, Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine
  • Adjunct Professor, Bioengineering Program, University of Kansas
• Scientific Awards:
  • KUMC Achievement Award for mentoring postdocs (2014)
  • Chancellor’s Club Award for Research (2018)
  • Dolph C. Simons, Sr. Higuchi Award (2020)
  • KU Excellence in Mentoring Award (2021)
  • Outstanding Mentorship in Pathology (2024)
• Key Research Themes:
  • Extracellular vesicles as liquid biopsy tools
  • Molecular mechanisms of sarcoma and breast cancer
  • Genomic diagnostics and precision oncology
  • Clinical trial biomarker validation
  • Biospecimen repository leadership