Kaloyan Tsanov

Kaloyan Tsanov is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine-Hematology and Oncology at the University of Chicago, where he leads the Tsanov Laboratory focused on metastatic disease research.

His educational background includes:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Biology & Genetics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2024)
• PhD in Biological & Biomedical Sciences from Harvard University (2017)
• AB in Molecular & Cellular Biology from Harvard University (2009)

Dr. Tsanov's research program investigates the major cause of cancer-related deaths: metastatic disease. His laboratory focuses specifically on pancreatic and gastric adenocarcinomas, integrating innovative mouse models, functional genetics tools, and multiomic approaches to dissect the interplay of genetic, epigenetic, and microenvironmental factors in metastatic tumors. His work centers on understanding natural barriers to metastasis and tumor-microenvironment crosstalk at different metastatic sites, with the vision of revealing governing principles that can be leveraged for novel therapies specifically tailored to metastatic tumors.

His publication record demonstrates a clear trajectory from fundamental molecular mechanisms to translational applications in cancer therapy, with a strong emphasis on metastasis mechanisms in pancreatic and gastric cancers. His recent work combines genetic, epigenetic, and microenvironmental approaches to understand cancer progression, with increasing focus on therapeutic vulnerabilities in metastatic disease.

Dr. Tsanov has received numerous prestigious awards and fellowships:

• 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award (2025)
• Forbeck Scholar Award (2024)
• NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (2022)
• Benjamin F. Trump Award for Scientific Research Excellence (2022)
• Multiple competitive fellowships including Jane Coffin Childs and Shulamit Katzman

As a Principal Investigator, Dr. Tsanov currently leads research funded by NIH grants R00CA266939 and K99CA266939, which focus on elucidating determinants of metastasis suppression in pancreatic cancer. His laboratory employs cutting-edge approaches to investigate how metastatic tumors sustain themselves and identify related vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically targeted.

The Tsanov Laboratory operates at the intersection of cancer biology, genetics, and translational medicine, with a dedicated team working to unravel the complexities of metastatic disease using innovative experimental models and analytical techniques.