Joshua P. Lewis

Joshua P. Lewis, PhD, serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where he leads research in pharmacogenomics and cardiovascular disease mechanisms. His work bridges genomic discovery with clinical translation to optimize antiplatelet therapy.

Dr. Lewis earned his bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Syracuse University, followed by a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Genomics from Wake Forest University School of Medicine's Center of Human Genomics and Personalized Medicine. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition and the Program in Personalized and Genomic Medicine before joining the faculty in 2012.

His research program focuses on identifying genetic variants influencing cardiovascular disease susceptibility and antiplatelet drug response through candidate gene studies, genome-wide analyses, next-generation sequencing, and pharmacometabolomics. Key discoveries include associations between PEAR1 gene variants and platelet reactivity in aspirin-treated patients, and investigations into PON1, CES1, and ABCC4 polymorphisms affecting clopidogrel efficacy. Current work explores functional mechanisms of these variants in cellular models and human populations.

Dr. Lewis' publication record demonstrates consistent innovation in integrating multi-omics approaches to understand drug response variability, particularly in antiplatelet therapy. His recent studies reveal metabolic pathways underlying aspirin resistance and develop physiological models for clopidogrel response prediction, advancing precision medicine applications for cardiovascular care.

As an active collaborator, he contributes to major consortia including the Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN), Clinical Pharmacogenomics Implementation Consortium (CPIC), and Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Program, facilitating large-scale genomic research to translate discoveries into clinical practice.