Rolando Perez-Lorenzo, PhD

  • Herbert and Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Dermatology
Profile Headshot

Profile Navigation

Overview

Our research focuses on the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the tumorigenesis process, as well as the study and establishment of novel therapeutic strategies to improve tumor elimination and overall survival in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Dr. Perez-Lorenzo is the officer of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Department of Dermatology.

Academic Appointments

  • Herbert and Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Dermatology

Administrative Titles

  • Officer of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Department of Dermatology

Gender

  • Male

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • BSc, Clinical Chemistry, Universidad Veracruzana
  • MS, Immunology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas, IPN
  • PhD, Clinical Biology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas, IPN
  • Fellowship: The Pennsylvania State University
  • Fellowship: Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Research

Our research focuses on the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the tumorigenesis process, as well as the study and establishment of novel therapeutic strategies to improve tumor elimination and overall survival in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Using in vivo and vitro preclinical models we investigate strategies to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy in combination with current clinically relevant therapeutic approaches to ultimately improve therapeutic outcomes.

Additionally, we aim to generate mechanistic and translational insight on the interactions between tumor cells and the tissue environment that promote tumor development and progression in response to intrinsic and environmental factors such as aging, and anti-cancer therapy and ultraviolet radiation, respectively. The ultimate goal of the Perez-Lorenzo lab is to establish a rational foundation for successful preventive approaches, as well as therapeutic strategies that improve the overall survival and quality of life of patients with melanoma and non- melanoma skin cancers. 

Selected Publications

  1. Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Mordasky Markell, L., Hogan, K.A., Yuspa, S.H., Glick, A. 2010. Transforming Growth Factor β1 Enhances Tumor Promotion in Mouse Skin Carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis, 31:116-23.
  2. Yang, Y., Wu, J., Demir, A., Castillo-Martin, M., Melamed, R.D., Zhang, G., Fukunaga-Kanabis, M., Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Zheng, B., Silvers, D.N., Brunner, G., Wang, S., Rabadan, R., Cordon-Cardo, C., Celebi, J.T. 2013. GAB2 induces tumor angiogenesis in NRAS-driven melanoma. Oncogene, 32:3627-37.
  3. Yuan, P., Ito, K., Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Del Guzzo, C., Lee, J.H., Shen, C.H., Bossemberg, M.W., McMahon, M., Cantley, L.C., Zheng, B. 2013. Phenformin enhances the therapeutic benefit of BRAFV600E inhibition in melanoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110:18226-31
  4. Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Gill, K.Z., Shen, C-H., Schulze, H-J., Zheng, B., Brunner, G., Horst, B.A. 2014. A tumor suppressor function for the lipid phosphatase INPP4B in melanocytic neoplasms. J Invest Dermatol, 134:1359-6810.
  5. Chen, J., Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Saenger, Y., Drake, C.G., Christiano, A. 2018. IKZF1 enhances immune infiltrate recruitment in solid tumors and susceptibility to immunotherapy. Cell Systems, 7: 92-103.
  6. Zhou, Q., Kim, S.H., Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Liu, C., Huang, M., Dotto, G. P., Zheng, B., Wu, X. 2020. Phenformin promotes keratinocyte differentiation via the Calcineurin/NFAT pathway. J Invest Dermatol, 141: 152-163.
  7. Jackow, J., Rami, A., Hayashi, R., Hansen, C., Guo, Z., DeLorenzo, D., Pappalardo, A., Alvarez Cespedes, D., Kim, A.L., Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Owens, D.M., Christiano, A.M. 2020. Targeting the JAK/STAT3 pathway with ruxolitinib in a mouse model of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa-squamous cell carcinoma. J Invest Dermatol, 141:942-946.
  8. Pérez-Lorenzo, R., Erjavec S.O., Christiano, A., Clynes, R. 2021 Improved therapeutic efficacy of unmodified anti-tumor antibodies by immune checkpoint blockade and kinase targeted therapy in mouse models of melanoma. Oncotarget, 12:66-80.