Department of Medicine at MSK

The Francesco Maura Lab

Research

Francesco Maura
Francesco Maura, MD
Myeloma Specialist

The Maura Lab integrates clinical, computational, and molecular biology to understand lymphoproliferative disorders. In particular, we identify genomic and immune drivers for initiation, progression, and treatment response. Using bulk and single-cell sequencing approaches, we develop strategies for early detection and prevention, as well as to guide personalized patient therapy.

Through close ties to MSKCC clinical programs, we have access to innovative clinical trials, patient samples, and a broad collaborative network. Our team includes scientists and physician-scientists with a strong expertise in genomics, translational research, and immunology, and we foster a highly synergistic, in-person environment across projects. Ultimately, we translate genomic insights into clinical decision-making to improve patient outcome.

Publications Highlights

Genomics Define Malignant Transformation in Myeloma Precursor Conditions. Maura F*, Bergsagel PL, Ziccheddu B, Kumar S, Maclachlan K, Derkach A, Garces JJ, Firestone R, Braggio E, Asmann Y, Durante M, Diamond B, Papadimitriou M, Hultcrantz M, Marella A, Castellano G, Maeda A, Lionetti M, Matera A, Pioggia S, Da Vià MC, de Magistris C, Leongamornlert D, DeAvila D, Sudalagunta PR, Renatino Canevarolo R, Siegel E, Agius P, Teer J, McPherson A, Yamashita Y, Silva A, Blaney P, Baz R, Patel KK, Campbell P, Morgan G, Fonseca R, Landgren O, Orlowski RZ, Shain KH, Bolli N, Usmani S, Rajkumar SV. J Clin Oncol. 2026 Jan 20;44(3):188-199. doi: 10.1200/JCO-25-01733. Epub 2025 Oct 8. (*Corresponding author) [PMID: 41061199] 

Temporal genomic dynamics shape clinical trajectory in multiple myeloma. Francesco Maura*, Marcella Kaddoura*, Alexandra M. Poos*, Linda B. Baughn, Bachisio Ziccheddu, Marc-Andrea Bärtsch, Anthony Cirrincione, Kylee Maclachlan, Monika Chojnacka, Benjamin Diamond, Marios Papadimitriou, Patrick Blaney, Lukas John, Philipp Reichert, Stefanie Huhn, Dylan Gagler, Yanming Zhang, Ahmet Dogan, Alexander M Lesokhin, Faith Davies, Hartmut Goldschmidt, Roland Fenk, Katja C. Weisel, Elias K. Mai, Neha Korde, Gareth J Morgan, S. Vincent Rajkumar, Shaji Kumar, Saad Usmani, Ola Landgren, Marc S. Raab*, Niels Weinhold*. Nat Genet. 2025 Aug 20. doi: 10.1038/s41588-025-02292-1. PMID: 40835892. (*Corresponding author)

Biallelic antigen escape is a mechanism of resistance to anti-CD38 antibodies in multiple myeloma. Benjamin Diamond, Linda Baughn, Mansour Poorebrahim, Alexandra M. Poos, Holly Lee, Marcella Kaddoura, J. Erin Wiedmeier-Nutor, Michael Durante, Gregory Otteson, Dragan Jevremovic, Hongwei Tang, Stefan Fröhling, Marc A. Baertsch, Marios Papadimitriou, Bachisio Ziccheddu, Tomas Jelinek, Cendrine Lemoine, Alexey Rak, Damian J. Green, Ola Landgren, Paola Ner3, Leif Bergsagel, Esteban Braggio, Shaji Kumar, Marc S. Raab, Rafael Fonseca, Nizar Bahlis, Niels Weinhold, Francesco Maura. Blood 2025 Jun 10:blood.2024028107. doi: 10.1182/blood.2024028107. PMID: 40493883 (*Corresponding author)

Genomic Classification and Individualized Prognosis in Multiple Myeloma. Maura F*, Rajanna AR, Ziccheddu B, Poos AM, Derkach A, Maclachlan K, Durante M, Diamond B, Papadimitriou M, Davies F, Boyle EM, Walker B, Hultcrantz M, Silva A, Hampton O, Teer JK, Siegel EM, Bolli N, Jackson GH, Kaiser M, Pawlyn C, Cook G, Kazandjian D, Stein C, Chesi M, Bergsagel L, Mai EK, Goldschmidt H, Weisel KC, Fenk R, Raab MS, Van Rhee F, Usmani S, Shain KH, Weinhold N, Morgan G, Landgren O.J Clin Oncol. 2024 Jan 9:JCO2301277. doi: 10.1200/JCO.23.01277. PMID: 38194610. (*Corresponding author)

Mechanisms of antigen escape from BCMA- or GPRC5D-targeted immunotherapies in multiple myeloma. Lee H, Ahn S, Maity R, Leblay N, Ziccheddu B, Truger M, Chojnacka M, Cirrincione A, Durante M, Tilmont R, Barakat E, Poorebrahim M, Sinha S, McIntyre J, M Y Chan A, Wilson H, Kyman S, Krishnan A, Landgren O, Walter W, Meggendorfer M, Haferlach C, Haferlach T, Einsele H, Kortüm MK, Knop S, Alberge JB, Rosenwald A, Keats JJ, Rasche L, Maura F*, Neri P, Bahlis NJ.Nat Med. 2023 Sep;29(9):2295-2306. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02491-5. Epub 2023 Aug 31.PMID: 37653344. (*Corresponding and co-senior author)

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People

Francesco Maura

Francesco Maura, MD

Myeloma Specialist

  • The Maura Lab is an energetic, highly collaborative, in-person team that combines clinical, computational, and molecular biology—leveraging bulk and single-cell genomics and close MSKCC clinical partnerships—to uncover genomic drivers of lymphoproliferative disorders and translate them into earlier detection and more personalized treatments.

Members

Senior Research Scientist
Principal Computational Biologist
Assistant Attending
Research Scholar
Assistant Attending
Research Associate
Computational Biologist

Achievements

  • ASH Joanne Levy, MD Memorial Award for outstanding achievement - 2021

Open Positions

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