Episode 18: Todd Golub
Todd Golub: Pioneering Cancer Genomics and Collaborative Science
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Dr Todd Golub is Director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and a founding core member of the institute. He is also a member of the faculty of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.
Todd pioneered the application of genomics to cancer biology and therapeutic discovery. He is one of the first researchers to use genomic approaches to molecularly characterize human tumors, laying the foundation for the use of genomics to classify, diagnose, and treat cancer. Throughout his career, Todd is deeply committed to patient-focused research. He has advocated for and helped launch the free, rapid sharing of large-scale genomic data and tools to accelerate the pace of biomedicine, including but not limited to, GSEA (gene set enrichment analysis), Drug Repurposing Hub, Connectivity Map, Metastasis Map.
As a founding core member of the Broad Institute, Todd helped launch the institute and established its Cancer Program. He served as director of the Broad’s Cancer Program for 17 years, and helped create a nimble, entrepreneurial, and supportive scientific community where researchers at all career levels and from laboratories across the greater Boston area can pursue transformative ideas in cancer. He also served as the Broad’s chief scientific officer for a decade before being named the institute’s director in January 2021.
Todd is an elected member of the US National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences. He is the recipient of multiple awards, and has served on the scientific advisory boards of many organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, and the National Cancer Institute. During this episode:
From his upbringing to medical school, Todd traces the experiences that led him to become a pediatric oncologist.
Todd shares his experience starting his own lab and using genomic technologies, such as DNA microarrays, to characterize pediatric cancers.
We explore the origin of the Broad Institute and his role in co-founding it and leading the Broad’s Cancer program.
Todd discusses some of the technologies developed in his lab, such as PRISM, a library of barcoded cancer cell lines.
As Director of the Broad, Todd shares his vision for the institute and its approach to advances in AI and gene therapy.
He also talks about his love of art and music and why he launched the Broad’s Artist-in-Residence Program.
Executive Producer: Yossef Baidi
Co-Producer: Fang Xie
Co-hosts: Yossef Baidi and Fang Xie
