Jae-Il Park

Jae-Il Park is a Professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. His research focuses on cancer biology, cell signaling, and tumor biology, with particular emphasis on colorectal cancer, small cell lung cancer, and esophageal preneoplasia. Recent breakthroughs include identifying the HIF-1α pathway as a therapeutic vulnerability in mucinous colorectal cancer, elucidating KMT2D's role in cerebellar granule cell differentiation, and uncovering actin dysregulation-induced neuroendocrine plasticity in small cell lung cancer. His work integrates genetic barcoding, single-cell transcriptomics, and murine organoid models to decipher cellular plasticity and tumor evolution. He has received significant funding, including a $576,000 award for dissecting TMEM9, a Wnt signaling regulator in colorectal cancer.