Michael F. Berger, PhD

I am a research scientist with expertise in cancer genetics, computational biology, and high throughput DNA sequencing technology. My research is focused on developing and applying methods to profile tumor DNA in order to characterize the genetic makeup of individual cancers. Knowledge of patient-specific genetic mutations can be used to predict patient outcomes and inform treatment options, ultimately enabling a more personalized cancer medicine.

With recent innovations in DNA sequencing technology, one can cheaply and quickly capture the relevant genomic information in an individual patient's tumor. In collaboration with oncologists, pathologists, and other translational researchers, I am leveraging the extensive institutional collection of annotated tumor specimens spanning all cancer subtypes to identify novel clinically useful biomarkers that may correlate with outcomes or predict responses to novel therapeutic agents. I am also working closely with the Diagnostic Molecular Pathology Laboratory to build a robust profiling pipeline for use in clinical trials and real-time patient management. Altogether, these activities aim to improve clinical practice by empowering oncologists to make treatment decisions informed by the molecular composition of their patients' tumors.

My email address is bergerm1@mskcc.org.