The Perentesis Research Lab
John Perentesis MD, FAAP, is the director of the Division of Oncology and executive co-director, of the Cancer & Blood Disease Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is also the Deb Kleisinger Endowed Chair of Novel Cancer Treatments and professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. A nationally recognized expert in the development of new therapies for pediatric cancers, Dr. Perentesis leads an active laboratory research program in the molecular etiology and pharmacogenetics of childhood leukemia and other cancers, with a focus on Down syndrome-related leukemias.
Dr. Perentesis leads 18 faculty in the Division of Oncology within the UC College of Medicine in initiatives related to the care of children and young adults with cancer and developing new molecular therapies in an integrated bench-to-bedside translational research program. In addition, the Division of Oncology has major new initiatives in translational care and research for adolescents and young adults with cancer, cancer survivors, and next-generation safety initiatives.
The Perentesis Lab focuses on drug discovery and tumor molecular signature profiling and personalized medicine in close collaboration with colleagues in the Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, the Divisions of Human Genetics and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and the Drug Discovery Center at the University of Cincinnati. Learn more about the Perentesis Lab.
As a clinical and translational researcher, Dr. Perentesis leads the development of clinical trials for high-risk pediatric cancers and leukemias. He is a member of the Executive Committee for the largest international research organization for childhood cancer, the Children’s Oncology Group (COG). The Executive Committee is responsible for determining scientific directions and priorities and has ultimate responsibility for COG governance, finances and operations. He chairs national efforts for clinical study development in relapsed leukemia for the COG, and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors for the Department of Defenses-funded Neurofibromatosis Therapy Consortium. Dr. Perentesis also serves in multiple national leadership roles for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), COG, and other bodies. In related activities, he is the vice-chair for adolescent and young adult oncology treatment and research initiatives for the COG. Dr. Perentesis also co-directs a new Cincinnati Children’s fellowship training program in developmental therapeutics and clinical pharmacology.
