معرفی
Rohit Chandwani is an Assistant Professor of Surgery and of Cell & Developmental Biology at Weill Cornell Medicine, where he also serves as the Frank Glenn Faculty Scholar in Surgery and the Mildred L. and John F. Rasweiler Scholar in Cancer Research. He is Co-Program Leader in Cancer Therapeutics at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center and leads an active research laboratory focused on epigenetic mechanisms in inflammation and cancer. His clinical and scientific training spans Harvard, Yale, Columbia, The Rockefeller University, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
- Undergraduate: Economics, Harvard University
- Medical Degree: Yale University School of Medicine
- Ph.D.: The Rockefeller University (Chromatin Biology)
- Clinical Training: General Surgery (Columbia), Surgical Oncology (MSKCC)
- Postdoctoral Fellowship: Steven D. Leach Lab, MSKCC
Dr. Chandwani's research centers on epigenetic memory, chromatin dynamics, and lineage plasticity in the context of pancreatic cancer initiation and progression. His lab investigates how inflammatory insults leave lasting epigenetic imprints that predispose cells to neoplastic transformation, and how KRAS mutations enforce oncogenic cell fate through chromatin remodeling. Using mouse models, lineage tracing, and low-input epigenomic tools, his team deciphers the regulatory logic of dynamic chromatin in epithelial cells.
His recent publications reveal trends in epigenetic dysregulation, tumor heterogeneity, and KRAS effector dependencies. Work from his lab has identified how inflammatory memory controls lineage plasticity, how specific KRAS mutants drive distinct clinical outcomes, and how chromatin accessibility signatures predict prognosis. These studies bridge basic science with translational applications, aiming to develop epigenetic-based cancer prevention and therapy strategies.
Scientific awards include:
- National Pancreas Foundation Rising Star Award (2023)
- New York Super Doctors (2023, 2020–2018)
- Fellow, Society of Surgical Oncology (2020)
- Fellow, American College of Surgeons (2020)
- American Surgical Association Fellowship Award (2018)
Dr. Chandwani has advised several graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, including Cathy Meng, William Fall, David Falvo, Korin Sahinyan, and Adrien Grimont. His lab has received support from institutional and national funding sources, enabling cutting-edge research in epigenetics and cancer biology. He continues to mentor trainees and lead collaborative projects focused on understanding and targeting the epigenetic drivers of cancer.
The Chandwani Laboratory is part of a vibrant research ecosystem at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Meyer Cancer Center, with strong ties to clinical oncology and translational research. The lab actively recruits postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and technicians, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to study chromatin-based mechanisms in tumorigenesis.
