Tomoo Iwakuma, MD, PhD

Professional Background

Dr. Iwakuma received an M.D. at Kyushu University in Japan, majoring in Orthopedics. He received his Ph.D. at the Department of Biochemistry at the same University. He spent several years as a research fellow studying gene therapy, pharmacology, and molecular genetics in different laboratories. Following postdoctoral training at the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, he joined LSU, Department of Genetics/Cancer Center, as an assistant professor as of August 15, 2005. Then, he transitioned to KUMC on August, 2011.

• MD, Kyushu University
• PhD, Kyushu University
• Residency, Orthopedics, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka city, Fukuoka
• Residency, Orthopedics, Beppu Developmental Medical Center, Beppu, Oita
• Internship, Orthopedics, Morooka Orthopedics, Fukuoka, Fukuoka
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta , Edmonton, Alberta
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Gene Therapy , University of Florida, Gainnesville, FL
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Molecular Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Research

Overview

Dr. Iwakuma's primary research focuses on the field of Cancer Research, specifically on cancer progression including liver cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and bone and soft tissue sarcoma. Over 50 percent of human cancers have mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 which regulates cell cycle progression, cell death, senescence, chromosome integrity, DNA repair, metabolism and metastasis. Therefore, understanding of the pathway involved in the regulation of p53 is essential for discovering novel cancer therapies. With special focus on the tumor suppressor p53 pathway, Dr. Iwakuma dissects the mechanism of cancer progression using several mouse models, attempts to discover novel compounds to target the p53 pathway and applies disease models to translational research, to ultimately cure cancer.