Johannes Kratz, MD Recipient of the Inaugural ImmunoX Hellman Family Clinical-Translational Research Development Award

UCSF surgeon-scientist Johannes R. Kratz, M.D. was awarded the Inaugural Hellman Family Clinical-Translational Research Development Award from the Bakar ImmunoX initiative. This development award embeds a young investigator in an ImmunoX CoLab for two years in order to rapidly translate clinical insights into molecular-level understanding of disease. Dr. Kratz was given this prestigious award for the study of tumor immune populations in high-risk early-stage lung cancer.  

The Kratz Lab focuses on the genetic and immunological mechanisms that drive early-stage, surgically resectable thoracic malignancies. These malignancies include lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and thymic cancer. The lab uses novel high-dimensional techniques such as genomic DNA and RNA sequencing, single-cell RNAseq, CyTOF, and patient-derived organoids to unravel the complex genetic nature of early-stage thoracic malignancies and nuanced immunological landscapes that nurture the growth of these malignancies. The knowledge gained from these investigations is being used to identify novel therapeutic targets and therapies for patients with early-stage, yet deadly thoracic malignancies. 

Dr. Kratz’s research is supported by a world-renowned leader in thoracic oncology, David M. Jablons, M.D., Program Leader in Thoracic Oncology, Chief of General Thoracic Surgery, and Director of the Thoracic Oncology Lab at UCSF.

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