Christopher Kemp

Christopher Kemp, PhD is a Professor in both the Human Biology Division and Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, with an Affiliate Professor appointment in Pathology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He leads the Kemp Laboratory of Functional Precision Medicine and serves as a Member of the Translational Data Science Integrated Research Center (TDS IRC).

Dr. Kemp's research focuses on precision oncology through functional genomics and high-throughput screening to identify synthetic lethal targets in cancers including pancreatic, ovarian, breast, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. His lab combines tumor genomics with drug sensitivity profiling in patient-derived models to develop targeted therapies that spare healthy tissue. Key methodologies include isogenic cell line models, functional genetic screens, and biomarker-driven drug validation.

His research portfolio demonstrates strong emphasis on

• Target discovery for RAS-mutant cancers
• WEE1 inhibitor applications in head/neck cancer
• Blood-based biomarker development for early detection
• Overcoming tumor heterogeneity challenges
• Translational pipelines from target identification to clinical trials

The publications reveal consistent focus on functional validation of genomic findings and development of clinically actionable therapeutic strategies, particularly for hard-to-treat solid tumors.

Scientific recognition includes a $5.4M NCI award supporting his multi-disciplinary discovery platform. His clinical trial involvement demonstrates active translation of findings to patient care, including investigator-initiated trials for head and neck cancer.

Dr. Kemp emphasizes collaborative science, stating: "By teaming up with experts with a range of experience, we will be able to translate our findings to the clinic much faster. I'm more optimistic than ever before." His lab actively engages clinicians, computational biologists, and patient advocates to accelerate bench-to-bedside translation.