Harish N. Vasudevan

Harish N. Vasudevan, MD, PhD, serves as Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology and Neurological Surgery at UCSF. A radiation oncologist specializing in nervous system tumors, he leads the Vasudevan Lab at the UCSF Brain Tumor Center, focusing on oncogenic growth factor signaling in neurofibromatosis.

Education:

• BS Biology, Caltech (2005-2009)
• MD and PhD (Neuroscience), Mount Sinai (2009-2017)
• Internal Medicine Intern, California Pacific (2017-2018)
• Radiation Oncology Resident, UCSF (2018-2022), Chief Resident (2020-2021)

His research employs multidisciplinary approaches to understand cancer development in neurofibromatosis, with emphasis on malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors and brain tumors. The lab integrates genomics, proteomics, and functional studies to identify diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting tumor evolution and therapy resistance mechanisms.

Analysis of recent publications (2023-2025) reveals dominant themes in spatial tumor heterogeneity, molecular evolution in brain metastases, and epigenetic editing for therapy sensitization. Key focus areas include neurofibromatosis-associated tumors, glioblastoma resistance mechanisms, and biomarker discovery in breast cancer brain metastases using multi-omic approaches.

Awards:

• NIH T32 and F31 Fellowships
• Children’s Tumor Foundation Young Investigator Award (2019-2021)
• Catalyst Award Team Member, UCSF (2020-2021)
• SNO/CNS/ASTRO society awards including Top Peripheral Nerve Paper (2021)
• Terry Ann Krulwich Doctoral Dissertation Prize

As Principal Investigator at the Brain Tumor Center, Dr. Vasudevan directs research on neurofibromatosis and brain tumor biology. His lab has secured funding from the Children’s Tumor Foundation and UCSF Catalyst Award. While specific students aren't listed, he mentors radiation oncology trainees and collaborates extensively across neurosurgery and cancer biology disciplines.

The Vasudevan Lab utilizes advanced genomic and functional genomic technologies including single-nucleus sequencing and CRISPR-based epigenetic editing to model tumor development and treatment response, with direct translational goals for nervous system tumor patients.