Chad Brenner

Chad Brenner, Ph.D. serves as Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Pharmacology at the University of Michigan Medical School, where he also directs the CMB Program. His research focuses on genomic biomarker discovery and therapeutic resistance mechanisms in head and neck cancers, utilizing next-generation sequencing and high-throughput functional screening approaches.

Dr. Brenner's primary research interests span Cancer Biology, Genomics, Precision Medicine, and Molecular Biology, with specific emphasis on HPV-related cancers, liquid biopsy development, and therapeutic resistance. His laboratory employs genomics-driven clinical trials and patient-derived xenograft models to advance targeted therapies and understand resistance mechanisms in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals dominant themes in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer research, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) applications, tumor microenvironment characterization, and health disparities. Key methodologies include next-generation sequencing, liquid biopsy validation, and integration of imaging biomarkers with molecular data for treatment response prediction.

Scientific Awards

• No scientific awards were documented in the provided source material.

Advising and grant activities are not explicitly detailed in available information, though his CMB Program Director role suggests mentorship responsibilities. The source indicates student involvement through the CMB program but provides no specific advisee names or grant funding details.

Laboratory operations focus on genomic analysis of head and neck cancers, with specialized expertise in HPV ctDNA assay development, tumor hypoxia studies, and functional screening for therapeutic target identification. The lab maintains strong clinical translation focus through ongoing participation in phase II immuno-chemoradiation trials and biomarker validation studies.