Mark Magbanua

Mark Magbanua is a Research Fellow in the Department of Hematology Oncology at the University of California San Francisco. He holds a PhD in Plant Biology from the University of California Davis and completed postdoctoral training in Hematology Oncology at UCSF. His research focuses on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), liquid biopsy techniques, and integrating imaging biomarkers like MRI for predicting treatment responses in breast cancer.

• PhD, Plant Biology, UC Davis
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Hematology Oncology, UCSF

His work spans interdisciplinary fields including Oncology, Genetics, and Medical Imaging. Recent studies highlight applications of ctDNA and MRI in neoadjuvant therapy for early and metastatic breast cancer, liquid biopsy for prognosis, and engineered adipocytes to suppress tumor growth.

Scientific awards include:

• Cancer Cell Mapping Initiative Fellowship
• Best Scientific Poster Awards at UCSF
• ASCO Foundation Merit Awards
• AACR Minority Scholar Award
• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, UC Davis

His publications analyze circulating tumor markers, imaging techniques, and therapeutic resistance mechanisms, often collaborating with multidisciplinary teams across institutions. Funding includes NIH grants for ctDNA-MRI integration in cancer treatment.