Sohail Tavazoie

Medical oncologist Sohail Tavazoie focuses on the tumor-regulating activity of microRNAs, small molecules that control the expression of genes. Before joining Rockefeller in 2009, Dr. Tavazoie identified three microRNAs that are absent from metastatic breast cancer cells. He showed that these microRNAs are able to suppress metastasis when introduced into tumor cells that normally metastasize.

One of Dr. Tavazoie’s goals is to devise microRNA-based tests to identify patients at highest risk for metastatic relapse, so they can be offered more aggressive therapies. He also hopes that his discoveries can fuel the development of new chemotherapeutic agents to block metastasis, which is the major cause of cancer mortality.

A leader in the study of metastasis, Dr. Tavazoie has received numerous honors since arriving at Rockefeller, including an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and Young Investigator Awards from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association for Cancer Research.

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