Patrick M. Grierson, MD, PhD

Patrick M. Grierson, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor

Address:
Division of Oncology
Mail Stop 8056-0029-11
Washington University
660 South Euclid Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110

Room 11319F Mid Campus Center (office)

Admin:
Lisa Forbush
forbushla@wustl.edu 

Clinical Interests
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Cholangiocarcinoma
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Colon cancer
Research Interests
  • Targeted therapy
  • Immunotherapy
Research

The clinical application of molecularly targeted therapeutics is transforming the care of many malignancies. However, a limited number of targeted agents have proven effective in gastrointestinal cancers, partially contributed to by a lack of understanding of the underlying tumor biology as well as inter-patient and intra-tumor heterogeneity. Our main research objective is to improve outcomes in these difficult to treat malignancies by identifying novel molecular targets that mediate de novo or acquired resistance to current therapies.

My pre-clinical research focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which is characterized by frequent mutation of the KRAS oncogene, as well as a desmoplastic stroma. Unfortunately, neither targeting of KRAS nor its downstream effectors has produced meaningful clinical benefit, and the benefits of immunotherapy have not yet been realized in this disease. Further, targeting of the desmoplastic stroma has yielded mixed results, thereby leaving cytotoxic chemotherapy as the standard approach to systemic therapy. Therefore, we aim to identify novel molecular targets, either tumor cell intrinsic or extrinsic, to improve survival in this disease with limited therapeutic options. In an effort to identify novel molecular targets, we employ broad in vitro laboratory techniques as well as in vivo genetically-engineered mouse models of pancreas cancer. Using these approaches, our group has identified stress- and inflammation-mediated MAPK signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer that contribute to treatment resistance, with high potential for clinical translation.

Clinically, I focus on the care of patients with diverse gastrointestinal malignancies, with a special interest in translating pre-clinical discoveries of novel therapeutics into early-phase clinical trials.

Biosketch

Education

  • 2014: MD, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH
  • 2012: PhD, Cancer Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
  • 2005: BS, Biochemistry (Summa Cum Laude), University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Post-Graduate Training

  • 2020-2016: Fellowship, Divisions of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
  • 2016-2014: Residency, Internal Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis MO

Academic Positions

  • present-2021: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
  • 2021-2020: Instructor, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
  • 2019-2017: Co-Chief Fellow, Divisions of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Board Certification

  • 2030-2020: Medical Oncology
  • 2027-2017: Internal Medicine

Honors & Awards

  • 2020: Hanna Jean Khoury Outstanding Graduate Award, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, Washington University
  • 2019: Missouri Oncology Society Outstanding Fellow Award
  • 2019: AACR/ASCO Vail Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop
  • 2018: R25 STRENGTH Program Scholar in Clinical Investigation, Washington University
  • 2017: Recipient, Knowlton Incentive for Excellence Award, Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University Division of Medical Education
  • 2015: Intern of the Month, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Primary Care Medicine Clinic
  • 2013: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
  • 2005: Graduated summa cum laude, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Professional Societies

  • 2017: Member, American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
  • 2011: Associate Member, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)