| Rakesh K. Jain | |
|---|---|
| Residence | United States |
| Institutions | Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Alma mater | University of Delaware, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur |
| Doctoral advisor | James Wei |
| Other academic advisors | Pietro M. Gullino |
| Known for | Tumor pathophysiology |
Rakesh K. Jain is the Andrew Werk Cook Professor of Tumor Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Jain primarily researches tumor pathophysiology. His work on cancer therapies led to discovery of an alternate use of Herceptin, an anti-tumor cell pharmaceutical compound produced by Genentech, as an inhibitor for blood vessel growth necessary for tumor growth.[1] His award-winning work on tumor biology has been recognized by a number of professional recognitions, including the following awards in 2006:
Dr. Jain received his B.Tech. degree from the Indian Institutes of Technology in Chemical Engineering in 1972 and received his M.Ch.E. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware in 1974 and 1976, respectively. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Jain's Taming Vessels To Treat Cancer, published in Scientific American of January 2008, describes his work in solid cancer tumors. The main theory suggested in this article is to normalize the tumor blood vessels in order to improve the effect of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. This can be achieved using angiogenesis inhibitor drugs, and has shown promise in reducing edema in mice with glioblastoma.