Mitesh J. Borad

Mitesh J. Borad, M.D., is a Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, with joint appointments in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Department of Molecular Medicine. He is a leading physician-scientist in the field of gastrointestinal oncology, particularly known for his expertise in cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Dr. Borad leads the Novel Therapeutics and Therapeutic Modalities Program at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and previously directed the Gene and Virus Therapy Program and the Precision Cancer Therapeutics Program at the Center for Individualized Medicine.

• Getz Family Research Professor of Mayo Clinic Arizona, 2024
• Leader, Novel Therapeutics and Therapeutic Modalities Program, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2024–present
• Arizona Investigator of the Year, 2024
• Chair, International Cholangiocarcinoma Research Network (ICRN), 2020–present
• Member, Hepatobiliary Cancers Panel, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)

Dr. Borad’s research is centered on developing innovative cancer therapies through genomic medicine, gene therapy, and oncolytic virotherapy. His lab has engineered novel vesiculovirus vectors devoid of neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, enabling repeat dosing and harnessing preexisting immunity for enhanced therapeutic effect. He focuses on epigenomic dependencies in cholangiocarcinoma, superenhancer biology, and computational discovery of biomarkers from multi-omic datasets, aiming for individualized N=1 therapies. His clinical work emphasizes first-in-human trials, having led over 50 such studies.

The 15 most recent articles highlight his leadership in translational oncology, spanning from ctDNA-based minimal residual disease detection in colorectal cancer to novel PROTAC degraders targeting MET, and first-in-human virotherapy trials. His work bridges structural biology (ChAdOx1 vaccine vector) to health disparities (GWAS in Latino populations), reflecting a broad yet focused research vision.

• Mark R. Clements Award for Vision, Innovation and Collaboration, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, 2022
• NIH New Innovator Award, 2014
• Paul Calabresi K12 Award
• Arizona Investigator of the Year, 2024

Dr. Borad is a dedicated mentor to numerous trainees, many from underrepresented backgrounds, who have gone on to careers in academia, government, and industry. He has secured continuous funding from the NIH, FDA, DoD, and NCI, including multiple R01 and SPORE grants. He leads major collaborative initiatives such as the International Cholangiocarcinoma Research Network and serves on national guideline panels and review committees for the FDA, NIH, and ASCO. His laboratory operates at the intersection of virology, genomics, and immunology, driving next-generation cancer therapeutics.

Dr. Borad’s team includes core researchers in molecular oncology, virology, and bioinformatics, and collaborates extensively with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). His lab is part of the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Individualized Medicine and the Comprehensive Cancer Center, with access to state-of-the-art core facilities for genomics, imaging, and clinical trial support.