Biography
Dr. Santosh Kesari is a board-certified neurologist, oncologist, and clinical trialist. He studies cancer, neuroscience and has experience in targeted therapies, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and novel devices to help develop Precision Therapeutic Strategies that will advance medicine to a new stage in the battle against cancer.
Biography:
University of Pennsylvania, B.A., Math, Biology
University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D., Molecular Biology
University of Pennsylvania, M.D., Medicine
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Intern, Internal Medicine
Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Resident, Neurology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital, Postdoctoral Fellow, Neuro-Oncology
Research Interests
The Kesari Lab at The Lundquist Institute is dedicated to advancing precision and translational medicine for rare and aggressive cancers, with a strong focus on overcoming treatment resistance and understanding tumor–immune interactions within the tumor microenvironment. Our mission is to bridge molecular discovery and clinical application through integrated research in cancer biology, immunology, and computational modeling using patient samples and pre-clinical models. By combining mechanistic insights with patient-centered research, we aim to accelerate the development of personalized therapies that improve survival and quality of life for patients with difficult-to-treat malignancies. The lab’s translational efforts are closely partnered with Asthra Health, where laboratory discoveries are transformed into early-phase and precision-guided clinical trials. Focus Areas Treatment Resistance: Defining molecular and metabolic adaptations that enable tumor cells to survive therapeutic pressure, with emphasis on signaling and stress-response pathways. Tumor Microenvironment (TME): Investigating how stromal and immune components shape tumor behavior, influence therapy response, and promote resistance. Immuno-Oncology and Cytokine Signaling: Studying how chronic inflammatory signaling drives immune tolerance and escape across solid tumors, including glioblastoma. Precision and Translational Medicine: Applying genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses to guide individualized treatment strategies and biomarker-driven clinical trials. Non-invasive Liquid Biopsy based Molecular Assays: Including ctDNAs, CTCs, and small-molecule profiling to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets, as well as monitor tumor dynamics and treatment response.