Mark Headley

Mark Headley, PhD, serves as Assistant Professor in the Translational Science and Therapeutics Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Fred Hutch) and Faculty Member in the University of Washington/Fred Hutch Molecular and Cellular Biology Program. He is also a Member of Fred Hutch's Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC).

Education:

• PhD in Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine (2010)
• Post-doctoral Fellow, Benaroya Research Institute (2010-2011)
• Post-doctoral Fellow, University of California, San Francisco (2011-2016)
• Associate Specialist, University of California, San Francisco (2016-2018)

Research Focus: Dr. Headley investigates cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumor metastasis—particularly lung metastasis from breast cancer and melanoma—using intravital lung microscopy and single-cell RNA sequencing. His lab discovered that metastatic tumor cells shed cytoplasmic microparticles ingested by myeloid cells (macrophages, dendritic cells), triggering metabolic switches that either promote or inhibit metastasis. This work aims to develop therapies targeting pro-metastatic immune functions.

Research Support: Secured multiple grants including two 2018 awards for metastatic breast cancer research. His 2023 discovery of macrophage metabolic reprogramming via tumor microparticles was featured in Science Spotlight.

Headley Lab: Develops cutting-edge imaging tools to visualize real-time tumor-immune interactions in live lungs, combining intravital microscopy with single-cell profiling to decode metastatic mechanisms at unprecedented resolution.