Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program
The Vinod Balachandran Lab
Research
![Pictured: Dr. Vinod Balachandran](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138454/person/balachandran_170515_09_3x2.jpg?h=cad4df64)
Associate Professor
Our goal is to discover new ways to stimulate the immune system to treat cancer through careful study of rare cancer patients with exceptional outcomes. We believe that deep study of these remarkable patients will identify fundamental mechanisms of how the immune system controls cancers, and accelerate the discovery of new effective drugs. We use this approach to study pancreatic cancer, a model deadly cancer that is refractory to all treatments including immunotherapy – and specifically focus on a rare subgroup of pancreatic cancer patients with exceptional long-term survival to discover new immunotherapeutic approaches. Our long-term vision is to use a similar approach of study of biological extremes to usher in the next generation of cancer immunotherapies.
![Balachandran Lab 2023](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/node/138454/images/balachandran-lab-group-photo-2023.png)
Featured News
Publications Highlights
Rojas LA, Sethna ZM, Soares K, Olcese C, Pang N, Patterson E, Lihm J, Ceglia N, Guasp P, Chu A, Yu R, Chandra AK, Waters T, Ruan J, Amisaki M, Zebboudj A, Odgerel Z, George Payne, Derhovanessian E, Rhee I, Yadav M, Dobrin A, Sadelain M, … Balachandran VP. Personalized RNA neoantigen vaccines stimulate T cells in pancreatic cancer. Nature. 2023 May 10. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06063-y
Łuksza M, Sethna ZM, Rojas LA, Lihm J, Bravi B, Elhanati Y, Soares K, Amisaki M, Dobrin A, Hoyos D, Guasp P, Zebboudj A, Yu R, Chandra AK, Waters T, Odgerel Z, Leung J, Kappagantula R, Makohon-Moore A, Johns A, Gill A, Gigoux M, Wolchok J, Merghoub T, Sadelain M, Patterson E, Monasson R, Mora T, Walczak AM, Cocco S, Iacobuzio-Donahue C, Greenbaum BD, Balachandran VP. Neoantigen quality predicts immunoediting in survivors of pancreatic cancer. Nature. 2022 May 19. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04735-9
Moral JA, Leung J, Rojas LA, Ruan J, Zhao J, Sethna Z, Ramnarain A, Gasmi B, Gururajan M, Redmond D, Askan G, Bhanot U, Elyada E, Park Y, Tuveson DA, Goen M, Leach SD, Wolchok JD, DeMatteo RP, Merghoub T & Balachandran VP. ILC2s amplify PD-1 blockade by activating tissue-specific cancer immunity. Nature. 2020 Feb 19. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2015-4
Balachandran VP, Łuksza M, Zhao JN, Makarov V, Moral JA, Remark R, Herbst B, Askan G, Bhanot U, Senbabaoglu Y, Wells DK, Cary CIO, Grbovic-Huezo O, Attiyeh M, Medina B, Zhang J, Loo J, Saglimbeni J, Abu-Akeel M, Zappasodi R, Riaz N, Smoragiewicz M, Kelley ZL, Basturk O; Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative; Gönen M, Levine AJ, Allen PJ, Fearon DT, Merad M, Gnjatic S, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Wolchok JD, DeMatteo RP, Chan TA, Greenbaum BD, Merghoub T, Leach SD. Identification of unique neoantigen qualities in long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer. Nature. 2017 Nov 8. doi: 10.1038/nature24462. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 29132146
Balachandran VP, Cavnar MJ, Zeng S, Bamboat ZM, Ocuin LM, Obaid H, Sorenson EC, Popow R, Ariyan C, Rossi F, Besmer P, Guo T, Antonescu CR, Taguchi T, Yuan J, Wolchok JD, Allison JP, DeMatteo RP. Imatinib potentiates antitumor T cell responses in gastrointestinal stromal tumor through the inhibition of Ido. Nature Medicine. 2011 Aug 28;17(9):1094-100. doi: 10.1038/nm.2438. PMID: 21873989
People
![Pictured: Dr. Vinod Balachandran](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138454/person/balachandran_170515_09_3x2.jpg?h=cad4df64)
Vinod Balachandran, MD
Member, David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research
Associate Professor
- Surgeon scientist Vinod Balachandran develops novel immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer.
- MD, State University of New York at Stony Brook
- 212-639-5785
- Office Phone
- View physician profile
- Physician profile
Members
![Pablo Guasp Baratech](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/183286/main_image/guasp-baratech-pablo_191011_16_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
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- American-Italian Cancer Foundation Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, year 2024/25
![Akihiro Ohmoto](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/273741/main_image/ohmoto-akihiro-230216-4_rt_1200x800.jpg)
![George Payne](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/268616/main_image/payne-george-230216-05_rt_1200x800.jpg)
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/291831/main_image/reiche-charlotte-231207-008_rt_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Zachary Sethna, PhD](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/182323/3x2/sethna-zachary_190523_09_0.jpg?h=242cd5c8)
![Abderezak Zebboudj](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/183295/main_image/zebboudj-abderezak_191011_04_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
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![Pablo Guasp Baratech](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/183286/main_image/guasp-baratech-pablo_191011_16_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Research Associate
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/191653/main_image/bruno-emmanuel-231207-008_rt-custom-crop.jpg?h=10d202d3)
GSK PhD student
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Research Fellow
![Zagaa Odgerel](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/200253/main_image/odgerel-zagaa_200713_15-1200x800.jpg)
Lab Manager
![Akihiro Ohmoto](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/273741/main_image/ohmoto-akihiro-230216-4_rt_1200x800.jpg)
Research Associate
![George Payne](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/268616/main_image/payne-george-230216-05_rt_1200x800.jpg)
Research Technician
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Research Fellow
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/306131/main_image/photo-002.jpeg?h=10d202d3)
Research Scholar
![Zachary Sethna, PhD](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/182323/3x2/sethna-zachary_190523_09_0.jpg?h=242cd5c8)
Senior Research Scientist
![Abderezak Zebboudj](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/183295/main_image/zebboudj-abderezak_191011_04_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Senior Research Scientist
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/273746/main_image/image.jpeg)
GSK Graduate Student
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138469/3x2/brodala-christian_170524_09.jpg)
- B.B.A Business Administration in Marketing, Hofstra University
- 212-639-5785
- Office Phone
![Adrienne Chandra](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/217966/main_image/chandra-adrienne_121011_02-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Joanne Leung, Ph.D.](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138460/3x2/joanne_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
- Ph.D. Immunology, McGill University
- B.S, University of Toronto
- 646-888-3792
- Lab Phone
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138457/3x2/moral-john-alec_170524_14.jpeg)
- B.S. Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University
- M.D. University of California San Diego
- 646-888-2128
- Lab Phone
![Karina Ng](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/160090/3x2/ng_karina_180625_02_1200x800.jpg)
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/160084/3x2/rojas-exposito_luis_180625_08_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
- Ph.D Biomedicine, University of Barcelona
- B.S. Biotechnology, Autonomous University of Barcelona
- 646-888-3792
- Lab Phone
![Theresa Waters](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/235069/main_image/waters-theresa_211011_07-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
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Lab Alumni
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Research Scholar
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138469/3x2/brodala-christian_170524_09.jpg)
Administrative Assistant
![Adrienne Chandra](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/217966/main_image/chandra-adrienne_121011_02-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Research Technician
![Charlotte Cheng](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/305896/main_image/cheng-charlotte-231207-010_rt_fullres.jpg)
Research Technician
![Joanne Leung, Ph.D.](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138460/3x2/joanne_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Postdoctoral Research Scholar
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138457/3x2/moral-john-alec_170524_14.jpeg)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
![Karina Ng](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/160090/3x2/ng_karina_180625_02_1200x800.jpg)
Summer Student 2018
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/160084/3x2/rojas-exposito_luis_180625_08_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Research Fellow
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138466/3x2/ruan-jennifer170524_02_0.jpg?h=6f3285a6)
Research Technician
![Theresa Waters](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/235069/main_image/waters-theresa_211011_07-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Research Technician
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/182326/3x2/yu-rebecca_190926_009.jpeg?h=242cd5c8)
Research Technician
![](https://www.sloankettering.edu/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/138463/3x2/upload-to-website.jpeg)
Research Technician
Lab Affiliations
Achievements
- FNIH Trailblazer Prize for Clinical-Scientists (2023)
- Louise and Allston Boyer Young Investigator Award (2021)
- Pershing Square Sohn Prize (2020)
- Society of Immunotherapy for Cancer Presidential Award (2017)
- National Cancer Institute Cancer Moonshot Award (2017)
Read more
- Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award (2017)
- AACR/Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Career Development Award (2017)
- NCI Paul Calabresi Career Development Award (2016)
- Society of Surgical Oncology Harvey Barker Award (2015)
- David and Monica Gorin Fellow Award (2013)
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Chairman’s Award for Best Basic Science Research (2010)
- Society of University Surgeons Research Fellowship Award (2009)
- Alpha Omega Alpha
Open Positions
To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center
To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs
Postdoctoral Fellow
Get in Touch
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Disclosures
Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.
MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.
Vinod Balachandran discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
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Genentech
Professional Services and Activities
The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.
This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.
Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].