Mark Applebaum

Mark Applebaum, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics-Hematology and Oncology at the University of Chicago. A translational physician-scientist, he specializes in pediatric neuroblastoma and sarcomas, leveraging genomics, epigenetics, and AI to develop novel prognostic tools and therapeutic strategies. His research focuses on epigenetic biomarkers (e.g., 5-hydroxymethylcytosine), liquid biopsies, and tumor microenvironment dynamics.

Dr. Applebaum completed his medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (2008), followed by residencies at UCSF and fellowships in Clinical Pharmacology and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Chicago. His lab is funded by the NIH, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, and the Bear Necessities Foundation.

Awards & Honors:

• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Awards
• American Association of Cancer Researchers (AACR) Awards
• Advances in Neuroblastoma Research Association (ANRA) Awards

Research Trends: Recent publications emphasize AI-driven histopathology, epigenetic biomarkers in liquid biopsies, and tumor immune microenvironments. His work consistently bridges molecular diagnostics with clinical applications to improve risk stratification and targeted therapies for high-risk neuroblastoma.

Grants & Labs: Primary investigator for NIH R37 and K08 grants supporting liquid biopsy development and neuroblastoma epigenetics. Leads the Applebaum Lab at the University of Chicago, focusing on hypoxia-induced treatment resistance and genomic classifiers.