Dan Gabriel Duda

Dan Gabriel Duda is a Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School and a Full Investigator at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Research Institute. He serves as the Director of Translational Research in Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology at MGH and has been the Secretary General of the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists, and Oncologists (IASGO) since 2015. Dr. Duda leads the Duda Laboratory at the Edwin L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, focusing on liver cancer research and tumor microenvironment studies.

Dr. Duda's educational background includes:

• DMD from the University of Medicine Iasi, Romania (1993)
• PhD in Medical Sciences (Gastrointestinal Surgery) from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan (2001)
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow at MGH and HMS (2001-2004)

Dr. Duda's research focuses on understanding tumor interactions with their microenvironment, particularly in liver cancers. His laboratory studies cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumor progression and treatment resistance with the goal of developing combination therapies involving radiotherapy and immunotherapy. The Duda Lab develops preclinical models of primary hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, and metastatic cancers to identify new targets for therapy. They also conduct correlative clinical studies to identify biomarkers of treatment response. Dr. Duda's work bridges basic science discoveries with clinical applications, aiming to improve therapeutic outcomes for patients with hepato-biliary pancreatic cancers.

Analysis of Dr. Duda's recent publications reveals a strong focus on immunotherapy approaches for liver cancers, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. His research increasingly explores combination therapies that target both the tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. A notable trend is the investigation of how immunotherapy can be enhanced through targeting specific pathways like CXCR4, VEGFR-2, and CTLA-4. His work also examines how metabolic factors like NASH affect immunotherapy response and how mRNA nanotechnology can restore tumor suppressor functions to enhance cancer treatment.

Dr. Duda has received numerous prestigious awards and honors:

• 2024: Honorary Master of Arts (AM) Degree, Harvard University
• 2023: Elected as a Foreign Member of the Academy of Europe (Academia Europaea)
• 2022: Erudite Scholar-in-Residence (Kerala State Higher Education Council), India
• 2021: Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Medicine Iasi, Romania
• 2021: American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow
• 2020: College of Fellows Induction, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
• 2018: IASGO Lorenzo Capussotti Award and IASGO Achievement Award
• 2012: Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences
• Multiple Ira J. Spiro Translational Research Awards from MGH (2008, 2010, 2011)

Dr. Duda has mentored over 80 postdoctoral research fellows and graduate/undergraduate students over the past 20 years. His research is supported by multiple National Cancer Institute (NCI) grants, Department of Defense (DoD) awards, and sponsored agreements with industry partners. He has chaired and served on numerous scientific expert panels worldwide, including US NCI study sections (currently Chair of the Cancer Diagnostics and Treatments Study Section since 2022), American Cancer Society (ACS) Tumor Biology Group, and US Department of Defense (DOD) Peer Reviewed Cancer Program.

The Duda Laboratory is part of the Edwin L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital. The lab collaborates closely with other research groups in the Steele Laboratories, including those led by Rakesh K. Jain, Yves Boucher, Dai Fukumura, and Lance L. Munn. Dr. Duda also coordinates international research efforts through IASGO, directing Postgraduate Courses and Symposia in more than 30 countries worldwide. His lab has developed specialized preclinical models for liver cancers and conducts research in a CLIA-certified environment to ensure clinical relevance of their findings.