Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Division of Hematology/Oncology

Faculty Profiles
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photo Timothy F. Burns, MD, PhD

Hematology/Oncology

Associate Professor of Medicine

Associate Program Director for Research, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program

Department of Medicine

Division of Hematology-Oncology

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Email: burnstf@upmc.edu

Phone: 412-623-7770
Contact
Office: Hillman Cancer Center Research Pavilion,
5117 Centre Avenue, Office: Suite 2.18e Lab: 2.7
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-623-7770
Fax: 412-623-7798
E-mail: burnstf@upmc.edu
Administrative Assistant:
June Wilson-Allen
Address: 5117 Centre Avenue
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Research Pavilion, Room 2.18
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: wilsonallenj2@upmc.edu
Phone: 412-623-7770
Fax: 412-623-7768
Education and Training
Education
BS with Honors, Cornell University, 1996
M.D./Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2005
Training
Osler Medical Residency, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 2008
Fellowship in Medical Oncology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 2012
Research Interest
My research and clinical interests revolve around the development of targeted therapies for KRAS-mutant NSCLC as well as novel strategies to overcome resistance to targeted therapies for EGFR-mutant and MET-altered NSCLC. My three main research themes are 1) novel pre-clinical target validation and drug development (TWIST1 in oncogene driven NSCLC and TKI resistance; targeting metabolism in oncogene driven lung cancer); and 2) elucidating mechanisms of resistance for targeted inhibitors to develop rationale therapeutic combinations that can be tested in the clinic and 3) development of targeted therapy approaches for the treatment of brain metastases. The first line of research in my laboratory focuses on the role of the EMT transcription factor TWIST1 in oncogene-driven NSCLC and therapeutic resistance. The second line of research in my lab focuses on studying the mechanisms of resistance to targeted agents currently in phase 1 and 2 trials to develop rationale therapeutic combinations in the clinic. The third line of research in my lab is focused on lung cancer brain metastases, and we are exploring whether targeting the HGF-MET-TWIST1 pathway or downstream metabolic pathways can be an effective strategy for preventing or treating lung brain metastases. In additional to these preclinical studies, we are using both radiogenomic and cell free DNA approaches to predict molecular phenotypes of brain metastases to identify patients with brain metastases that can benefit from MET targeted therapy in the clinic. Finally, we have undertaken an investigator-initiated trial to test whether we can treat brain metastases with MET TKIs.
Clinical Interest
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and worldwide. Recent advances in the treatment of NSCLC have come from recognition that NSCLC is not a single disease entity, but rather a collection of distinct molecularly driven neoplasms. This paradigm is typified by the recent progress made in the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutant and EML4-ALK translocation-driven adenocarcinomas of the lung with tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting these oncogenes. Unfortunately, resistance to our current targeted therapies is inevitable. Furthermore, little progress has been made in the treatment of patients with the most frequently observed driver oncogene, mutant KRAS. KRAS is mutated in approximately 25% of all NSCLC, and patients with this mutation have an increased risk of recurrence in early stage disease and have a worse prognosis with metastatic disease. My clinical interests revolve around the development of targeted therapies for KRAS-mutant NSCLC as well as novel strategies to overcome resistance to targeted therapies for EGFR-mutant and MET-altered NSCLC as well as other oncogenic drivers in lung cancer.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Huang, RSP, Harries, L, Decker, B, Hiemenz, MC, Murugesan, K, Creeden, J, Tolba, K, Stabile, LP, Ramkissoon, SH, Burns TF, Ross, JS. Clinicopathologic and Genomic Landscape of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Brain Metastases. The Oncologist. 2022; 27(10): 839-848.
Hong DS, Fakih MG, Strickler JH, Desai J, Durm GA, Shapiro GI, Falchook GS, Price TJ, Sacher A,, Denlinger CS, Bang YJ, Dy GK, Krauss JC, Kuboki Y,, Kuo JC, Coveler AL, Park K, Kim TW, Barlesi F, Munster PN, Ramalingam SS, Burns TF,, Meric-Bernstam F, Henary H, Ngang J, Ngarmchamnanrith G, Kim J, Houk BE, Canon J, Lipford JR,, Friberg G, Lito P, Govindan R, Li BT. KRAS(G12C) Inhibition with Sotorasib in Advanced Solid Tumors. New England Journal of Medicine. 2020; 383(13): 1207-17.
Burns, TF, Borghaei, H, Ramalingam, SS, Mok, TS, Peters, S. Targeting KRAS-Mutant Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: One Mutation at a Time, With a Focus on KRAS G12C Mutations. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2020; 38(35): 4208-18.
Yochum ZA, Cades J, Wang H, Chatterjee S, Simons BW, O'Brien JP,, Khetarpal SK, Lemtiri-Chlieh G, Myers KV, Huang EH, Rudin CM, Tran PT, Burns TF. Targeting the EMT transcription factor TWIST1 overcomes resistance to EGFR inhibitors in EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer. Oncogene. 2019; 38(5): 656-670.
Yochum ZA, Cades J, Mazzacurati L, Neumann NM, Khetarpal SK, Chatterjee S, Wang H,, Attar MA, Huang EH, Chatley SN, Nugent K, Somasundaram A, Engh JA, Ewald AJ, Cho YJ,, Rudin CM, Tran PT, Burns TF. A First-in-Class TWIST1 Inhibitor with Activity in Oncogene-Driven Lung Cancer. Molecular Cancer Research. 2017; 15(12): 1764-1776.
Chatterjee, S., Huang, E.H., Christie, I., Burns, T.F. Reactivation of the p90RSK-CDC25C pathway leads to bypass of the ganetespib induced G2/M arrest and mediates acquired resistance to ganetespib in KRAS mutant NSCLC. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2017; In Press: XXX.
Chatterjee, S., Huang, E.H., Christie, I., Kurland, B.F., Burns, T.F. Acquired resistance to the Hsp90 inhibitor, ganetespib in KRAS mutant NSCLC is mediated via reactivation of the ERK-p90RSK-mTOR signaling network. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2017; 16(5): 793.
Burns TF, Dobromilskaya I, Murphy SC, Gajula RP, Thiyagarajan S, Chatley SN, Aziz K, Cho YJ, Tran PT, Rudin CM. Inhibition of TWIST1 leads to activation of oncogene-induced senescence in oncogene-driven non-small cell lung cancer. Molecular cancer research. 2013; 11(4): 329-38.
Tran PT, Shroff EH, Burns TF, Thiyagarajan S, Das ST, Zabuawala T, Chen J, Cho YJ, Luong R, Tamayo P, Salih T, Aziz K, Adam SJ, Vicent S, Nielsen CH, Withofs N, Sweet-Cordero A, Gambhir SS, Rudin CM, Felsher DW. Twist1 suppresses senescence programs and thereby accelerates and maintains mutant Kras-induced lung tumorigenesis. Plos genetics. 2012; 8(5): 31002650.
Notable Achievements
Young Investigators Award, ASCO, 2010
Merit Award, IASCL 11th annual Targeted Therapies for the Treatment of Lung Cancer Meeting, 2010
Merit Award, ASCO Annual Meeting, 2011
Scholar in Training Award, AACR Annual Meeting, 2012
Scholar Award, V Foundation, 2013
Junior Faculty, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Research Day Award, 2014; 2015
Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Reseach Kimmel Scholar Award, 2015
Doris Duke Clinical Scientist Development Award, 2016
ASCI Young Physician-Scientist Award, 2016
American Cancer Socieity Research Scholar Grant, 2018

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

Department of Medicine
1218 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Email:  chairoff@pitt.edu
Phone:  412-648-9636
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