Craig B. Thompson

Thompson received his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College and went on to earn his medical degree in 1977 from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. He received clinical training in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School and in medical oncology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center at the University of Washington. After completing his training, Thompson became a physician at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and an assistant professor of medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. In 1987, he joined the faculty of the University of Michigan as an assistant professor of medicine and an assistant investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. From 1993 until he joined the University of Pennsylvania, he was affiliated with the University of Chicago, where he was professor of medicine, a Howard Hughes investigator, and director of the Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research.

Thompson joined the University of Pennsylvania in 1999 as a professor of medicine, the scientific director of The Leonard and Madlyn Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, and the first chairman of the Department of Cancer Biology. In 2006 he was named director of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and associate vice president for cancer services of the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Thompson became president and chief executive officer of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in November 2010.

He is married to Tullia Lindsten, also a cancer researcher.

Thompson's laboratory undertakes basic research in the fields of cancer biology and immunology. This research has helped advance the understanding and deployment of immunotherapy to treat cancer. Thompson has studied how genes regulate apoptosis and metabolism, and investigated their application in treating cancer.

In his earlier work, Thompson was among the first to describe the unique co-stimulatory properties of CD28 in augmenting lymphoid effector function, proliferation, and survival. Thompson identified the evolutionary duplication of CD28 into CD28 and CTLA-4 and demonstrated that CTLA4 had an inhibitory effect on immune activation.{{cite journal|last1=June|first1=CH|last2=Ledbetter|first2=JA|last3=Gillespie|first3=MM|last4=Lindsten|first4=T|last5=Thompson|first5=CB|title=T-cell proliferation involving the CD28 pathway is associated with cyclosporine-resistant interleukin 2 gene expression.|journal=Molecular and Cellular Biology|date=December 1987|volume=7|issue=12|pages=4472–81|pmid=2830495|pmc=368131|doi=10.1128/MCB.7.12.4472}}{{cite journal|last1=Thompson|first1=CB|last2=Lindsten|first2=T|last3=Ledbetter|first3=JA|last4=Kunkel|first4=SL|last5=Young|first5=HA|last6=Emerson|first6=SG|last7=Leiden|first7=JM|last8=June|first8=CH|title=CD28 activation pathway regulates the production of multiple T-cell-derived lymphokines/cytokines.|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|date=February 1989|volume=86|issue=4|pages=1333–7|pmid=2465550|pmc=286684|doi=10.1073/pnas.86.4.1333|bibcode=1989PNAS...86.1333T|doi-access=free}}{{cite journal|last1=Walunas|first1=TL|last2=Lenschow|first2=DJ|last3=Bakker|first3=CY|last4=Linsley|first4=PS|last5=Freeman|first5=GJ|last6=Green|first6=JM|last7=Thompson|first7=CB|last8=Bluestone|first8=JA|title=CTLA-4 can function as a negative regulator of T cell activation.|journal=Immunity|date=August 1994|volume=1|issue=5|pages=405–13|pmid=7882171|doi=10.1016/1074-7613(94)90071-X}}{{cite journal|last1=Boise|first1=LH|last2=Minn|first2=AJ|last3=Noel|first3=PJ|last4=June|first4=CH|last5=Accavitti|first5=MA|last6=Lindsten|first6=T|last7=Thompson|first7=CB|title=CD28 costimulation can promote T cell survival by enhancing the expression of Bcl-XL.|journal=Immunity|date=July 1995|volume=3|issue=1|pages=87–98|pmid=7621080|doi=10.1016/1074-7613(95)90161-2|doi-access=free}}

Thompson elucidated processes on the genes that control programmed cell death or apoptosis.{{cite journal|last1=Boise|first1=LH|last2=González-García|first2=M|last3=Postema|first3=CE|last4=Ding|first4=L|last5=Lindsten|first5=T|last6=Turka|first6=LA|last7=Mao|first7=X|last8=Nuñez|first8=G|last9=Thompson|first9=CB|title=bcl-x, a bcl-2-related gene that functions as a dominant regulator of apoptotic cell death.|journal=Cell|date=27 August 1993|volume=74|issue=4|pages=597–608|pmid=8358789|doi=10.1016/0092-8674(93)90508-N|url=https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/30629/1/0000270.pdf|hdl=2027.42/30629|s2cid=13542617|hdl-access=free}} These processes shape lymphocyte development and immune system homeostasis. His group discovered the first Bcl-2 homolog to be identified, Bcl-Xl, and described the first BH3-only containing regulatory family member, Bcl-xS.{{cite journal|last1=Sattler|first1=M|last2=Liang|first2=H|last3=Nettesheim|first3=D|last4=Meadows|first4=RP|last5=Harlan|first5=JE|last6=Eberstadt|first6=M|last7=Yoon|first7=HS|last8=Shuker|first8=SB|last9=Chang|first9=BS|last10=Minn|first10=AJ|last11=Thompson|first11=CB|last12=Fesik|first12=SW|title=Structure of Bcl-xL-Bak peptide complex: recognition between regulators of apoptosis.|journal=Science|date=14 February 1997|volume=275|issue=5302|pages=983–6|pmid=9020082|doi=10.1126/science.275.5302.983|s2cid=22667419}} He published this work alongside Stanley Korsmeyer's report of the first pro-apoptotic family member, Bax, and together established the three classes of this gene family and defined their pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic roles.{{cite web |url=http://nas.nasonline.org/site/Dir/359057457?pg=vprof&mbr=1006672&returl=http%3A%2F%2Fnas.nasonline.org%2Fsite%2FDir%2F359057457%3Fpg%3Dsrch%26view%3Dbasic&retmk=search_again_link/ |title=National Academy of Science |website=nas.nasonline.org}}{{cite journal|last1=Lindsten|first1=T|last2=Ross|first2=AJ|last3=King|first3=A|last4=Zong|first4=WX|author5-link=Jeffrey Rathmell|last5=Rathmell|first5=JC|last6=Shiels|first6=HA|last7=Ulrich|first7=E|last8=Waymire|first8=KG|last9=Mahar|first9=P|last10=Frauwirth|first10=K|last11=Chen|first11=Y|last12=Wei|first12=M|last13=Eng|first13=VM|last14=Adelman|first14=DM|last15=Simon|first15=MC|last16=Ma|first16=A|last17=Golden|first17=JA|last18=Evan|first18=G|last19=Korsmeyer|first19=SJ|last20=MacGregor|first20=GR|last21=Thompson|first21=CB|title=The combined functions of proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members bak and bax are essential for normal development of multiple tissues.|journal=Molecular Cell|date=December 2000|volume=6|issue=6|pages=1389–99|pmid=11163212|pmc=3057227|doi=10.1016/S1097-2765(00)00136-2}}{{cite journal|last1=Wei|first1=MC|last2=Zong|first2=WX|last3=Cheng|first3=EH|last4=Lindsten|first4=T|last5=Panoutsakopoulou|first5=V|last6=Ross|first6=AJ|last7=Roth|first7=KA|last8=MacGregor|first8=GR|last9=Thompson|first9=CB|last10=Korsmeyer|first10=SJ|title=Proapoptotic BAX and BAK: a requisite gateway to mitochondrial dysfunction and death.|journal=Science|date=27 April 2001|volume=292|issue=5517|pages=727–30|pmid=11326099|pmc=3049805|doi=10.1126/science.1059108|bibcode=2001Sci...292..727W}}

Thompson's recent research has focused on cellular metabolism. His discoveries in growth factor regulation of nutrient uptake and metabolism have provided direct mechanistic links between cellular metabolism and cell growth and survival.{{cite journal|last1=Rathmell|first1=JC|last2=Vander Heiden|first2=MG|last3=Harris|first3=MH|last4=Frauwirth|first4=KA|last5=Thompson|first5=CB|title=In the absence of extrinsic signals, nutrient utilization by lymphocytes is insufficient to maintain either cell size or viability.|journal=Molecular Cell|date=September 2000|volume=6|issue=3|pages=683–92|pmid=11030347|doi=10.1016/S1097-2765(00)00066-6|doi-access=free}}{{cite journal|last1=Vander Heiden|first1=MG|last2=Plas|first2=DR|last3=Rathmell|first3=JC|last4=Fox|first4=CJ|last5=Harris|first5=MH|last6=Thompson|first6=CB|title=Growth factors can influence cell growth and survival through effects on glucose metabolism.|journal=Molecular and Cellular Biology|date=September 2001|volume=21|issue=17|pages=5899–912|pmid=11486029|pmc=87309|doi=10.1128/MCB.21.17.5899-5912.2001}}{{cite journal|last1=Lum|first1=JJ|last2=Bauer|first2=DE|last3=Kong|first3=M|last4=Harris|first4=MH|last5=Li|first5=C|last6=Lindsten|first6=T|last7=Thompson|first7=CB|title=Growth factor regulation of autophagy and cell survival in the absence of apoptosis.|journal=Cell|date=28 January 2005|volume=120|issue=2|pages=237–48|pmid=15680329|doi=10.1016/j.cell.2004.11.046|doi-access=free}}{{cite journal|last1=Wise|first1=DR|last2=DeBerardinis|first2=RJ|last3=Mancuso|first3=A|last4=Sayed|first4=N|last5=Zhang|first5=XY|last6=Pfeiffer|first6=HK|last7=Nissim|first7=I|last8=Daikhin|first8=E|last9=Yudkoff|first9=M|last10=McMahon|first10=SB|last11=Thompson|first11=CB|title=Myc regulates a transcriptional program that stimulates mitochondrial glutaminolysis and leads to glutamine addiction.|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|date=2 December 2008|volume=105|issue=48|pages=18782–7|pmid=19033189|pmc=2596212|doi=10.1073/pnas.0810199105|bibcode=2008PNAS..10518782W|doi-access=free}} His work has also led to new insights into how intracellular metabolite levels can contribute to the regulation of gene expression, cellular differentiation and oncogenic transformation. This work has contributed to the resurgent interest in cancer cell metabolism and may form the basis for translational therapies to exploit the metabolic addictions exhibited by cancer cells.{{cite journal|last1=Selak|first1=MA|last2=Armour|first2=SM|last3=MacKenzie|first3=ED|last4=Boulahbel|first4=H|last5=Watson|first5=DG|last6=Mansfield|first6=KD|last7=Pan|first7=Y|last8=Simon|first8=MC|last9=Thompson|first9=CB|last10=Gottlieb|first10=E|title=Succinate links TCA cycle dysfunction to oncogenesis by inhibiting HIF-alpha prolyl hydroxylase.|journal=Cancer Cell|date=January 2005|volume=7|issue=1|pages=77–85|pmid=15652751|doi=10.1016/j.ccr.2004.11.022|doi-access=free}}{{cite journal|last1=Ward|first1=PS|last2=Patel|first2=J|last3=Wise|first3=DR|last4=Abdel-Wahab|first4=O|last5=Bennett|first5=BD|last6=Coller|first6=HA|last7=Cross|first7=JR|last8=Fantin|first8=VR|last9=Hedvat|first9=CV|last10=Perl|first10=AE|last11=Rabinowitz|first11=JD|last12=Carroll|first12=M|last13=Su|first13=SM|last14=Sharp|first14=KA|last15=Levine|first15=RL|last16=Thompson|first16=CB|title=The common feature of leukemia-associated IDH1 and IDH2 mutations is a neomorphic enzyme activity converting alpha-ketoglutarate to 2-hydroxyglutarate.|journal=Cancer Cell|date=16 March 2010|volume=17|issue=3|pages=225–34|pmid=20171147|pmc=2849316|doi=10.1016/j.ccr.2010.01.020}}{{cite journal|last1=Figueroa|first1=ME|last2=Abdel-Wahab|first2=O|last3=Lu|first3=C|last4=Ward|first4=PS|last5=Patel|first5=J|last6=Shih|first6=A|last7=Li|first7=Y|last8=Bhagwat|first8=N|last9=Vasanthakumar|first9=A|last10=Fernandez|first10=HF|last11=Tallman|first11=MS|last12=Sun|first12=Z|last13=Wolniak|first13=K|last14=Peeters|first14=JK|last15=Liu|first15=W|last16=Choe|first16=SE|last17=Fantin|first17=VR|last18=Paietta|first18=E|last19=Löwenberg|first19=B|last20=Licht|first20=JD|last21=Godley|first21=LA|last22=Delwel|first22=R|last23=Valk|first23=PJ|last24=Thompson|first24=CB|last25=Levine|first25=RL|last26=Melnick|first26=A|title=Leukemic IDH1 and IDH2 mutations result in a hypermethylation phenotype, disrupt TET2 function, and impair hematopoietic differentiation.|journal=Cancer Cell|date=14 December 2010|volume=18|issue=6|pages=553–67|pmid=21130701|pmc=4105845|doi=10.1016/j.ccr.2010.11.015}}{{cite journal|last1=Lu|first1=C|last2=Ward|first2=PS|last3=Kapoor|first3=GS|last4=Rohle|first4=D|last5=Turcan|first5=S|last6=Abdel-Wahab|first6=O|last7=Edwards|first7=CR|last8=Khanin|first8=R|last9=Figueroa|first9=ME|last10=Melnick|first10=A|last11=Wellen|first11=KE|last12=O'Rourke|first12=DM|last13=Berger|first13=SL|last14=Chan|first14=TA|last15=Levine|first15=RL|last16=Mellinghoff|first16=IK|last17=Thompson|first17=CB|title=IDH mutation impairs histone demethylation and results in a block to cell differentiation.|journal=Nature|date=15 February 2012|volume=483|issue=7390|pages=474–8|pmid=22343901|pmc=3478770|doi=10.1038/nature10860|bibcode=2012Natur.483..474L}}

Thompson holds more than 30 patents related to immunotherapy and apoptosis, and is a founder of three biotechnology companies.{{cite web|title=Leadership {{!}} Board or Directors, Founders, Scientific Advisors {{!}} Agios|url=http://www.agios.com/about/leadership#founders|website=www.agios.com|accessdate=26 July 2017|language=en}}

Patents arising from Thompson's research describing the co-stimulatory/inhibitory properties of CD28/CTLA-4, in collaboration with Carl June and Jeffrey Bluestone, were licensed for the development of Abatacept (Orencia) for autoimmune diseases and for use in T cell cloning and CAR T cell production.{{cite web|last1=Thompson|first1=Craig B.|last2=June|first2=Carl H.|title=Methods of treating autoimmune disease via CTLA-4Ig|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US6685941|access-date=27 July 2017|date=2004}}{{cite web|last1=June|first1=Carl H.|last2=Thompson|first2=Craig B.|last3=Nabel|first3=Gary J.|last4=Gray|first4=Gary S.|last5=Rennert|first5=Paul D.|last6=Freeman|first6=Gordon J.|title=Methods for selectively stimulating proliferation of T cells|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US5858358|access-date=27 July 2017|date=1999}}{{cite web|last1=Davis|first1=Ryan|title=Bristol-Myers Shells Out $21M To Settle Orencia Suit - Law360|url=https://www.law360.com/articles/74131?scroll=1|website=www.law360.com|accessdate=27 July 2017|language=en}}

Thompson's work with Stanley Korsmeyer establishing the existence of three classes of Bcl-2-related proteins and defining their role in apoptosis led to the development of ABT-263 (navitoclax) and ABT-199 (venetoclax), recently FDA-approved for certain patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

Thompson's discovery of oncogenic metabolites (succinate, fumarate, and 2-hydroxyglutarate) that can inhibit tumor suppressor function and/or impair cellular differentiation has helped lead to the development of new treatments for leukemia, gliomas, sarcomas, and bladder cancer, currently in clinical trials.{{cite web|last1=Apple|first1=Sam|title=An Old Idea, Revived: Starve Cancer to Death|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/magazine/warburg-effect-an-old-idea-revived-starve-cancer-to-death.html|website=The New York Times|accessdate=26 July 2017|date=12 May 2016}}

In December 2011, The University and its Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute sued Thompson after his move to Memorial Sloan Kettering, charging that he had made use of research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania to start a biotechnology company, Agios Pharmaceuticals that Thompson had co-founded in 2007 while still at the University."{{cite news|last=Pollack|first=Andrew|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/health/cancer-center-in-lawsuit-says-a-doctor-appropriated-a-discovery.html|title=Sloan-Kettering Chief Is Accused of Taking Research|date=5 February 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=6 September 2012}}

While most of the details were not announced, the suit was settled with an agreement wherein Agios entered into a licensing agreement with the University of Pennsylvania regarding specific intellectual property.{{cite news|last=Pollack|first=Andrew|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/01/business/lawsuits-related-to-founding-of-agios-pharmaceuticals-are-settled.html|title=Suits That Accused Sloan-Kettering Chief of Stealing Research Are Settled|date=31 August 2012|newspaper=nytimes.com|accessdate=6 September 2012}}{{cite news|last=Mytelka|first=Andrew|url=http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/penn-and-cancer-institute-settle-lawsuits-accusing-scientist-of-stealing-research/48010|title=Penn and Cancer Institute Settle Lawsuits Accusing Scientist of Stealing Research|date=1 September 2012|newspaper=The Chronicle of Higher Education|accessdate=6 September 2012}}

• Member, Medical Advisory Board of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute{{cite web|title=Medical Advisory Board|url=https://www.hhmi.org/about/leadership/medical-advisory-board|website=HHMI.org|accessdate=17 May 2017|language=en}}
• Member, Lasker Award Jury{{cite web|last1=Foundation|first1=Lasker|title=2016 Lasker Awards {{!}} The Lasker Foundation|url=http://www.laskerfoundation.org/awards/year/2016/#jury|website=The Lasker Foundation|accessdate=17 May 2017|language=en}}
• Associate Editor of Cell,{{cite web|title=Editorial Board: Cell|url=http://www.cell.com/cell/editorial-board|website=www.cell.com|accessdate=17 May 2017|language=en}} Immunity,{{cite web|title=Masthead: Immunity|url=http://www.cell.com/immunity/masthead|website=www.cell.com|accessdate=17 May 2017|language=en}} and Cancer Cell{{cite web|title=Editorial Board: Cancer Cell|url=http://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/editorial-board|website=www.cell.com|accessdate=17 May 2017|language=en}}
• Scientific Editor, Cancer Discovery{{cite web|title=Editors {{!}} Cancer Discovery|url=http://cancerdiscovery.aacrjournals.org/site/misc/editors.xhtml|website=cancerdiscovery.aacrjournals.org|accessdate=17 May 2017|language=en}}

• Member, board of directors of the American Association for Cancer Research (2009-2012){{cite web|title=Craig B. Thompson, MD|url=http://www.aacr.org/Membership/Pages/FellowDetailsNoModal.aspx?ItemID=156|website=AACR.org|accessdate=26 May 2017}}
• Chairman, scientific advisory board of the Damon Runyon/Walter Winchell Cancer Foundation{{cite web|title=09/19/06, Abramson Cancer Center Director: Craig Thompson - Almanac, Vol. 53, No. 4|url=http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v53/n04/ct.html|website=www.upenn.edu|accessdate=26 May 2017}}
• Chairman, Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute (2001-2003)
• Chairman, medical advisory board of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute{{cite web|title=Medical Advisory Board|url=http://www.hhmi.org/about/leadership/medical-advisory-board|website=HHMI.org|accessdate=26 May 2017|language=en}}

• Ernst W. Bertner Memorial Award (2017){{cite web|title=Symposia on Cancer Research 2017|url=http://www3.mdanderson.org/calendar/attachments/%20Symposia_on_Cancer_Research_2017_Cancer_Metabolism_6643.pdf|website=mdanderson.org|accessdate=26 May 2017}}
• Drexel Prize in Cancer Biology (2014){{cite web|title=Symposium to Address Treatment and Prevention of Infectious Inflammatory and Oncogenic Disease - College of Medicine|url=http://drexel.edu/medicine/News-Events/news-archive/2014/June/Symposium-to-Address-Treatment-and-Prevention-of-Infectious-Inflammatory-and-Oncogenic-Disease/|website=College of Medicine|date=5 June 2014|accessdate=26 May 2017|language=en}}
• The American College of Physicians Award for Medical Science (2011){{cite web|title=ACP National Award Recipients|url=https://www.acponline.org/system/files/documents/about_acp/awards_masterships/awards_2016.pdf|website=American College Of Physicians|accessdate=13 June 2017|archive-date=5 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805051721/https://www.acponline.org/system/files/documents/about_acp/awards_masterships/awards_2016.pdf|url-status=dead}}
• Steven C. Beering Award for Medical Research (2011){{cite web|title=Steven C. Beering Award {{!}} Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development|url=http://faculty.medicine.iu.edu/awards-services/awards/beering-award/|website=faculty.medicine.iu.edu|accessdate=26 May 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711051648/http://faculty.medicine.iu.edu/awards-services/awards/beering-award/|archive-date=11 July 2018|url-status=dead}}
• Katherine Berkan Judd Award (2010){{cite web|title=Award & PhD Recipients {{!}} Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center|url=https://www.mskcc.org/award-phd-recipients|website=www.mskcc.org|accessdate=26 May 2017|language=en}}
• Member, National Academy of Sciences (2005){{cite web|title=Craig Thompson|url=http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/members/20004077.html|website=www.nasonline.org|accessdate=26 May 2017}}
• Stanley N. Cohen Biomedical Research Award (2004){{cite web|title=Recipients of Research Awards|url=https://www.med.upenn.edu/fapd/assets/user-content/documents/Past%20Awards%20of%20Excellence/Stanley%20Cohen%20Biomedical%20Research%20Award.pdf|website=med.upenn.edu|accessdate=26 May 2017}}
• ASCI Award from the American Society for Clinical Investigation (2003)
• Member, National Academy of Medicine (2002){{cite web|title=Craig B. Thompson, M.D.|url=https://nam.edu/member/?member_id=rzsIP1w%2FgeLWk6yLaiSrbg%3D%3D|website=nam.edu|accessdate=26 May 2017}}
• Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1999){{cite web|title=Academy Member Connection|url=https://www.amacad.org/peerCollaboration/profile.aspx?c=psa&q=craig_thompson|website=www.amacad.org|accessdate=26 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303050514/https://www.amacad.org/peerCollaboration/profile.aspx?c=psa&q=craig_thompson|archive-date=3 March 2018|url-status=dead}}
• Member, American Society for Clinical Investigation (1989){{cite web|title=The American Society for Clinical Investigation|url=https://www.the-asci.org/controllers/asci/AsciProfileController.php?pid=159826|website=www.the-asci.org|accessdate=26 May 2017}}
• Member, Association of American Physicians{{cite web|title=Association of American Physicians|url=http://aap-online.org/admin/members.php?search=1&last_name=T|website=aap-online.org|accessdate=13 June 2017}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.mskcc.org/research/lab/craig-thompson Official web page at Sloan-Kettering]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Craig B.}}

Category:1953 births

Category:American cell biologists

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences

Category:American oncologists

Category:University of Michigan faculty

Category:Fellows of the AACR Academy

Category:Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences faculty

Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology

Category:Members of the National Academy of Medicine

Category:Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center faculty