David McConkey, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. David J. McConkey is a Professor of Urology and Cancer Biology, Director for Urological Research, and Deputy Division Head for Research (Surgery) at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  Dr. McConkey was born in Buffalo, New York but moved to Minneapolis soon afterward.  He received his BA in Biochemistry and American History from Brown University and his PhD from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.  He performed postdoctoral studies in immunobiology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before accepting a tenure-track position at MD Anderson in 1993.  He has been studying the biochemistry and molecular regulation of apoptosis since he was a graduate student, but more recently his work has focused on translational cancer research and the mechanisms of action of experimental therapeutics, particularly inhibitors of the proteasome and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL).  Dr. McConkey has published over 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is a Project Leader on two Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants (in bladder and pancreatic cancer).  Dr. McConkey is on the editorial boards of Clinical Cancer Research and the Journal of Biological Chemistry and serves as a regular member of peer review panels for NCI and the Damon-Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.  He is a member of several professional organizations including the American Urological Association, the Society for Basic Urological Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and he is co-chair for translational research in the genitourinary tumors subgroup of the Southwest Oncology Group.