Carlos L. Arteaga, M.D., was appointed Director of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and Associate Dean of Oncology Programs at

UT Southwestern Medical Center The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern or UTSW) is a Public university, public Academic health science centre, academic health science center in Dallas, Texas. With approximately 23,000 employees, more than 3,000 ...

in Dallas in September 2017. Previously, he was the Associate Director for Clinical Research, director of the Center for Cancer Targeted Therapies, and professor of Cancer Biology and Medicine at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. In 2014–2015, he was the president of the

American Association for Cancer Research The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's oldest and largest professional association related to cancer research. Based in Philadelphia, the AACR focuses on all aspects of cancer research, including Basic research, basic, ...

. Arteaga earned his medical degree from the Universidad de Guayaquil in Ecuador in 1980, where his father was the dean of medicine. He came to the United States intending to specialize in cardiology after his internal medicine residency at

Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...

, but changed course and instead did a fellowship in hematology-oncology at University of Texas Health Science Center. Arteaga joined the faculty at Vanderbilt in 1989 and since 2002, has directed the NCI-funded Vanderbilt Breast Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE).

Research

Arteaga is recognized as an expert in the field of

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

research. He has demonstrated the utility of targeting

TGF-β Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine belonging to the transforming growth factor superfamily that includes three different mammalian isoforms (TGF-β 1 to 3, HGNC symbols TGFB1, TGFB2, TGFB3) and many other ...

, which causes cancer to spread, metastasize, and become resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. He was involved in the development of

trastuzumab Trastuzumab, sold under the brand name Herceptin among others, is a monoclonal antibody used to treat breast cancer and stomach cancer. It is specifically used for cancer that is HER2 receptor positive. It may be used by itself or together ...

in combination with chemotherapy for patients with HER2-mutated cancer. Among his current research areas is

triple-negative breast cancer Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is any breast cancer that either lacks or shows low levels of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression and/or gene amplification (i.e ...

, for which there are no targeted therapy options. He is a principal investigator for the

Stand Up To Cancer Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a charitable organization that was established as a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). In 2022, SU2C was separately incorporated and was recognized by the IRS as a Section 501(c)(3) public charit ...

(SU2C) "Targeting the PI3K Pathway in Women's Cancers" Dream Team, which provides $15 million is research funding for a research team spread across 7 institutions.

Awards

* 2015 Prize for Scientific Excellence in Medicine, American-Italian Cancer Foundation * 2014 President,

* 2014 Grant W. Liddle Award, Vanderbilt University * 2013 Elected Fellow,

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...

* 2011 Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Basic Science, Susan G. Komen Foundation * 2009 Gianni Bonadonna Award,

American Society of Clinical Oncology The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is a professional organization representing physicians of all oncology sub-specialties who care for people with cancer. Founded in 1964 by Fred Ansfield, Harry Bisel, Herman Freckman, Arnoldus G ...

* 2005 Elected Member,

Association of American Physicians The Association of American Physicians (AAP) is an honorary medical society founded in 1885 by the Canadian physician Sir William Osler and six other distinguished physicians of his era for "the advancement of scientific and practical medicine ...

* 2004–2007 Board of Directors, AACR * 2003 AACR-Richard & Hinda Rosenthal Award * 1998 Elected Member,

American Society for Clinical Investigation The American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), established in 1908, is one of the oldest and most respected medical honor societies in the United States. Organization and purpose The ASCI is an honorary society to which more than 2,800 p ...

* 1995–2000 Clinical Investigator Award, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arteaga, Carlos Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Ecuadorian scientists Fellows of the AACR Academy Cancer researchers Members of the National Academy of Medicine