Jennifer Grandis

Jennifer Grandis, MD, is the American Cancer Society Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. Her research focuses on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with an emphasis on signal transduction pathways, precision medicine, and translational therapies. Dr. Grandis leads initiatives to identify predictive biomarkers and develop targeted treatments, leveraging patient-derived xenograft models and genomic data.

Education: MD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (1987), followed by residency and fellowship in Otolaryngology and Infectious Disease at the same institution. Previously held leadership roles at the University of Pittsburgh, including Vice Chair for Research in Otolaryngology.

Research Interests: Genetic and epigenetic alterations in HNSCC, EGFR/STAT3 signaling, PI3K pathway mutations, and HPV-associated cancers. Her work bridges clinical observations with preclinical models to advance therapies like EGFR antisense gene therapy and STAT3 inhibition.

Grants & Awards:

• NIH R01DE028289 (2019–2024): Targeting STAT3 in HNSCC
• NIH R35CA231998 (2018–2025): PI3K pathway mutations in HPV+ HNSCC
• Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award (2009)
• Institute of Medicine (IOM) Member (2012)

Labs & Teams: Leads translational research programs integrating genomics, proteomics, and clinical trials. Collaborates with institutions like MD Anderson and Carnegie Mellon on molecular oncology and drug development.