George Vasmatzis

George Vasmatzis, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, and holds a joint appointment in Cancer Biology within the Department of Quantitative Health Sciences. He serves as co-director of the Biomarker Discovery Program in the Center for Individualized Medicine, where he leads a multidisciplinary research team integrating bioinformatics, molecular biology, and computational genomics to advance cancer diagnostics and personalized treatment.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Purdue University
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Texas Tech University
• Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Boston University

Research Interests: Dr. Vasmatzis specializes in biomarker discovery for cancer diagnosis, focusing on large genomic alterations such as breakpoints, rearrangements, and copy-number variations. His work addresses lineage relationships in cancer progression, genomic changes distinguishing indolent from aggressive tumors, viral integration sites, and targetable genomic alterations. He employs next-generation sequencing and computational models to enable non-invasive cancer monitoring via liquid biopsy. A significant focus is on allelic dependence and phasing of mutations to understand functional impacts.

Publication Trends: His recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on translational genomics, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like nanopore sequencing and 3D tumor models. Research spans oncology, bioinformatics, immunology, and nanotechnology, with applications in early detection, therapy monitoring, and precision medicine. Key journals include Genome Biology, Cancer Genetics, and Frontiers in Immunology.

Scientific Awards:

• Innovation Accelerator Award, Mayo Clinic, 2023
• Member, NCI Special Emphasis Panels (2008–2010)
• Participant, NCI Early Detection Research Network, 2008
• Member, National Biospecimen Network Informatics Task Force, 2005–2007

Grants & Advising: Dr. Vasmatzis has served as Principal Investigator on NIH-funded projects, including the NCI-funded 'CORE--GENE DISCOVERY BIOINFORMATICS' and co-PI on the SPORE in Prostate Cancer. He mentors a research team of bioinformaticians, molecular biologists, and pathologists. While specific student names are not listed, his lab actively trains researchers in computational and molecular genomics.

Laboratories & Collaborations: His lab is embedded within the Center for Individualized Medicine and collaborates extensively with Rashid Bashir, Ph.D., at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, on nanopore-based DNA detection technologies. This work has potential for stool-based early colon cancer detection. He is also involved in Mayo Clinic’s Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid and multiple institutional research committees.