معرفی
Robert L. Judson-Torres is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Utah and an investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. He received his PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in 2012, where he studied microRNA mechanisms in somatic cell reprogramming. His early career was marked by the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award and a Sandler Fellowship at UCSF.
- Education: PhD (UCSF), BA (Wesleyan University)
- Awards: NIH Director’s Early Independence Award, Sandler Fellowship
His research focuses on dynamic transcriptional programs in human melanocytes and their role in melanoma initiation. Key methodologies include CRISPR/Cas9 engineering, single-cell sequencing, and quantitative phase imaging. Translational applications involve early melanoma diagnosis and therapeutic interventions using microRNA modulation.
Recent publications highlight advancements in melanoma diagnostics (e.g., microRNA ratios), CRISPR-based tumor modeling, and novel imaging technologies like quadrant darkfield (QDF) microscopy. He also investigates ancestry-related somatic mutation patterns in acral melanoma and BRAFV600E-driven nevi stabilization via miR211-5p delivery.
- Leadership: Huntsman Cancer Institute Postdoc Showcase, Pan-American Society for Pigment Cell Research (Membership Chair)
- Service: University of Utah Academic Senate Special Committee, international symposia organizer
