David Solomon, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Pathology
School of Medicine

415-514-9761

I am a cancer researcher at the University of California, San Francisco with a dedicated interest in the genetic alterations that drive cancer development. We have recently discovered frequent inactivating mutations of the cohesin complex gene STAG2 in glioblastoma, urothelial bladder cancer, Ewing sarcoma, and myeloid leukemia, which define molecular subgroups of these tumors with distinct clinical outcomes.

Show full bio (120 words) Hide full bio

The cohesin complex is responsible for sister chromatid cohesion following DNA replication and helps ensure faithful chromosome segregation during mitosis, but has also been implicated in additional cellular processes such as regulation of chromatin architecture and gene transcription. Using a newly generated conditional STAG2 knockout mouse and isogenic sets of STAG2 proficient and deficient human cell lines, we are currently working to determine the function of STAG2 during development and tumorigenesis and to identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in the many cancers harboring cohesin gene alterations. Other ongoing studies in the Solomon Lab include functional genomics and epigenomics evaluation of the many different brain tumor subtypes including glioblastoma, low-grade glioneuronal tumors, and meningioma.

Awards

Show all (18) Hide

  • American Society for Investigative Pathology, Cotran Early Career Investigator Award, 2022
  • American Association for Neuropathologists, Moore Award, 2021
  • United States & Canada Academy of Pathology, Ramzi S. Cotran Young Investigator Award, 2020
  • American Association for Neuropathologists, Rubinstein Award, 2019
  • UCSF Physician-Scientist Scholar Program, UCSF Physician-Scientist Scholar, 2016-2017
  • High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program supported by the NIH Common Fund, NIH Director's Early Independence Award, 2015-2021
  • UCSF Brain Tumor SPORE, Career Development Research Award, 2015-2016
  • United States & Canada Academy of Pathology, Stowell-Orbison Award, 2014
  • International Society of Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology, Young Investigator Award, 2014
  • San Francisco General Hospital, outstanding clinical service by a UCSF Pathology intern, Julius Krevans Award, 2013
  • United States & Canada Academy of Pathology, Stowell-Orbison Award, 2013
  • American Association for Cancer Research, Future Leaders in Basic Cancer Research, 2012
  • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award, 2012
  • Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Clifford C. Kaslow Research Achievement Award, 2011
  • Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Robert Dickson Graduate Prize, 2011
  • Georgetown University School of Medicine, Strauss Physician Scientist Training Fellowship, 2004-2012
  • College of William and Mary Undergraduate Science Education and Research Program, Howard Hughes Medical Institute student research grants, 2000-2002
  • College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, William and Mary Monroe Scholar, 1998-2002

Education & Training

Show all (4) Hide

  • Fellowship in Neuropathology University of California, San Francisco 2016
  • Residency in Anatomic Pathology University of California, San Francisco 2015
  • M.D., Ph.D. Tumor Biology Georgetown University School of Medicine 2012
  • B.S. Molecular Cell Biology, Chemistry College of William and Mary 2002

Interests

Show all (24) Hide

  • neuropathology
  • Ewing sarcoma
  • STAG2
  • PPTID
  • chromosomal instability
  • urothelial carcinoma
  • pineal parenchymal tumors
  • astrocytoma
  • molecular diagnostics
  • brain tumors
  • choroid plexus neoplasms
  • bladder cancer
  • oligodendroglioma
  • aneuploidy
  • cancer genetics
  • pineoblastoma
  • glioblastoma
  • genetic pathways in tumorigenesis
  • sister chromatid cohesion
  • glioma
  • neurocytoma
  • next-generation sequencing
  • cohesin
  • molecular pathology

Websites

Show all (9) Hide

Publications (159)

Top publication keywords:
Spinal Cord NeoplasmsBrain NeoplasmsAntigens, NuclearNeoplasms, NeuroepithelialGlioblastomaAstrocytomaMeningeal NeoplasmsMutationMeningiomaHistiocytoma, Malignant FibrousGliomaIsocitrate DehydrogenaseDEAD-box RNA HelicasesCentral Nervous System NeoplasmsHistones

Show all (152 more) Hide