Sanford Markowitz, MD, PhD
Ingalls Professor of Cancer Genetics, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine
Distinguished University Professor, ÃÛÌÒAPP
Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine
Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine
Email: sxm10@case.edu
Phone: 216-368-1976
Fax Number: 216.368.8928
Biography
Sanford (Sandy) Markowitz is the Markowitz-Ingalls Professor of Cancer Genetics and a Distinguished University Professor at ÃÛÌÒAPP. Sandy’s national distinctions include having been awarded a 12 year term as an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, having won an NCI Outstanding Investigator (R35) Award, having served as 12 years as the Principal Investigator of the Case GI Cancers SPORE, an NCI recognized national center of excellence for research in gastrointestinal cancers, and having won the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Research from Dubai.
Research Information
Research Interests
- Genetic Mechanisms of GI Cancers
- Development of Diagnostics for Early Detection of GI Cancers
- Development of Drugs That Regulate Tissue Stem Cells and Tissue Regeneration
Research Projects
The Markowitz laboratory is recognized as a national leader in studies of the genetics and epigenetics of GI cancers, including in basic discovery of genetic targets in GI cancers and in translational studies aimed at developing new methods for early cancer detection, prevention, and treatment.
Highlights of studies from the Markowitz laboratory include: identifying TGF-beta as a key human tumor suppressor; identifying the first cancer associated mutations in the TGF-beta signaling pathway (mutations in TGF-beta type II receptors); identifying 15-prostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), a prostaglandin degrading enzyme, as a novel effector of TGF-beta mediated tumor suppression and as a negative regulator of tissue stem’s repair of tissue injury; developing the first in-vivo active 15-PGDH inhibitor drugs and demonstrating their activity in potentiating tissue repair in multiple disease models that include potentiating healing of colitis, accelerating hematopoietic recovery following bone marrow transplantation, and protecting from neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (through blocking macrophage generation of reactive oxygen); being part of the team that sequenced the first human cancer coding genome (the colon cancer genome); discovering key epigenetic markers of colon cancers and esophageal cancers; pioneering development of the first commercial stool DNA based test for colon cancer detection, based on aberrantly methylated DNA (ColoSure); pioneering development of the first commercial non-endoscopic DNA based tests for detecting esophageal cancers and their precursor lesions of Barrett’s esophagus (via engineering the EsoCheck esophageal sampling device and developing the EsoGuard methylated DNA panel assay).
Sandy’s translational advances have led to founding of two biotechnology companies, Rodeo Therapeutics (for development of 15-PGDH inhibitor drugs – acquired by Amgen) and LucidDx (for development of non-endoscopic DNA testing for esophageal neoplasias – listed on the Nasdaq). Sandy’s work on developing diagnostic tests for detecting esophageal neoplasia was reported as a highlight advance in the 2020 NCI Director’s report to Congress. In 2020 Sandy’s EsoGuard DNA assay was awarded breakthrough device designation by the FDA and his EsoCheck sampling device won FDA approval.
External Appointments
Physician, Department of Hematology and Oncology
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Publications
Selected Publications
Markowitz S, Wang J, Myeroff L, Parsons R, Sun L, Lutterbaugh J, Fan RS, Zborowska E, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Brattain M, Willson JKV. (1995). Inactivation of type II TGF-ß receptor in colon cancer cells with microsatellite instability. Science 268, 1336-1338.
Chen WD, Han ZJ, Skoletsky J, Olson J, Sah J, Myeroff L, Platzer P, Lu S, Dawson D, Willis J, Pretlow TP, Lutterbaugh J, Kasturi L, Willson JK, Rao JS, Shuber A, Markowitz SD. (2005). Detection in fecal DNA of colon cancer-specific methylation of the nonexpressed vimentin gene. J Natl Cancer Inst 97, 1124-1132.
Zhang Y, Desai A, Yang
Additional Resources
More detailed description of highlight research and publications from the Markowitz laboratory is available at:
- Lab Research
- Sandy’s NIH Biosketch