Anil K Rustgi, MD
Overview
Anil K. Rustgi is the Herbert and Florence Irving Director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Rustgi is a world-renowned leader in the field of gastrointestinal oncology. His interdisciplinary research focuses on tumor initiation, the tumor microenvironment and tumor metastasis in the context of gastrointestinal cancers, including cancer of the esophagus, pancreas, and colon.
Dr. Rustgi's lab works to translate their discoveries into improving molecular diagnostics and finding new experimental therapeutics for patients, and is funded through several grants including an NCI P01 (program project on esophageal cancer), three NIH R01 grants (for gastric cancer pancreatic cancer and colon cancer), SU2C and an American Cancer Society Research Professorship. He has more than 400 publications and his work has appeared in high-impact journals such as Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Medicine, Cancer Cell, Genes and Development, Gastroenterology, Journal of Clinical Investigation, PNAS, JAMA and New England Journal of Medicine.
He has been elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation, Association of American Physicians and National Academy of Medicine and as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Previously, he was president of the American Gastroenterological Association (16,000 members), editor-in-chief of Gastroenterology, president of the International Society of Gastroenterological Carcinogenesis and president of the American Pancreas Association.
He has been recognized for his contributions with numerous awards, including the AACR Daniel Von Hoff award for outstanding contributions to education and training and cancer research (2024), American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (AAISCR) Lifetime Achievement Award (2024), AGA Beaumont Prize for distinction in basic/translational research (2023), AGA Julius Friedenwald Lifetime Achievement in Gastroenterology Medal (2017), AGA Distinguished Mentor Award (2016), the Ruth C. Brufsky Award for Excellence in Research in Pancreatic Cancer (2013). In addition, he received the top mentorship and teaching awards (Arthur Asbury for faculty; and one from the postdoctoral fellow program; one from the MD-PHD program; and, one from the Department of Cancer Biology) from his tenure at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Rustgi graduated Summa Cum Laude from Yale College with a bachelor's degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry (departmental honors) and earned his medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine, where he was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honorary society. He completed an internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Hospital and a GI fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), both of which are affiliates of Harvard Medical School. He rose to associate professor of medicine at MGH/Harvard before joining the University of Pennsylvania in 1998, where he served as Chief of Gastroenterology, T. Grier Miller Professor of Medicine and directed two Centers and NIH T32 training grants until 2018.
Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated
- Colorectal Cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Gastric Cancers
- Gastrointestinal Cancer
- Genetic Testing
- Pancreatic Cancer
Academic Appointments
- Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Medicine
Administrative Titles
- Herbert and Florence Irving Director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC)
- Associate Dean of Oncology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Chief, Cancer Services, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center campus
Hospital Affiliations
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Gender
- Male
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Location(s)
Insurance Accepted
Aetna
- Aetna Signature Administrators
- EPO
- HMO
- NY Signature
- PPO
- Student Health
Affinity Health Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
AgeWell
- Medicare Managed Care
- Special Needs
Amerigroup of New Jersey
- New Jersey Services (Medicaid Managed Care)
Cigna
- EPO
- Great West (National)
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
Emblem/GHI
- Medicare Managed Care
- PPO
Emblem/HIP
- ConnectiCare
- EPO
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
- Select Care (Exchange)
- Vytra
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HealthPlus
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
Fidelis Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
Healthfirst
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Leaf (Exchange)
- Medicare Managed Care
Local 1199
- Local 1199
- NYP Employee Plan
MagnaCare (National)
- MagnaCare
Medicare
- Railroad
- Traditional Medicare
Multiplan
- Multiplan
MVP Health Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid Managed Care
Quality Health Management
- Quality Health Management
RiverSpring
- Special Needs
UnitedHealthcare
- Compass (Exchange)
- Empire Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid (Community Plan)
- Oxford Freedom
- Oxford HMO
- Oxford Liberty
- POS
- PPO
VNSNY CHOICE
- Medicare Managed Care
- SelectHealth
- Special Needs
WellCare
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
- New Jersey Services (Medicaid Managed Care)
World Trade Center Health Plan
- World Trade Center Health Plan
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- MD, Medicine, Duke University
- BS, Molecular Biochemistry & Biophysics, Yale University
- Internship: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
- Fellowship: Massachuetts General Hospital
Committees, Societies, Councils
1996-2001: Associate Editor, Gastroenterology
2000-2010: Associate Editor, Cancer Research,
2006-2011: Editor-in-Chief, Gastroenterology;
2007-2012: Consulting Editor for Journal of Clinical Investigation
2011-2013: President, International Society of GI carcinogenesis
2010-2012: Vice President, AGA
2012-2013: President Elect, AGA
2013-2014: President, AGA
2019-2020: President, American Pancreas Association
Board Certifications
- Gastroenterology
Honors & Awards
- 2024, American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (AAISCR) Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2024, AACR Daniel Von Hoff award for outstanding contributions to education and training and cancer research
- 2023, AGA Beaumont Prize for distinction in basic/translational research2022Selected by NCI to co-chair task force on esophageal and gastric cancers
- 2019, Election to National Academy of Medicine
- 2017, AGA Julius Friedenwald Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2017, Elected to Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
- 2017, Elected to Membership, American Clinical and Climatological Association
- 2016, AGA Distinguished Mentorship Award
- 2013, AGA GI Oncology Distinguished Mentor Award
- 2013, The Ruth C. Brufsky Award for Excellence in Research in Pancreatic Cancer
- 2012, Arthur Asbury Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award, University of Pennsylvania; and, Biomedical Postdoctoral Program Distinguished Mentor Award, Philadelphia, PA
- 2010-2014, Selected to NIDDK Council
- 2009, American Cancer Society Research Professor
- 2007, Elected to the American Association of Physicians (AAP)
- 1999, Osler Society (Interurban Club) Young Investigator Award
- 1999, Elected to American Society of Clinical Investigation
- 1997, GRG/AGA Young Investigator Award for Research Achievement in Gastroenterology
- 1996, AGA Funderberg Research Award in Gastric Cancer Biology
- 1996, American Cancer Society Jr. Faculty Research Award
- 1995, AGA Fiterman Basic Science Research Award (Walter B. Cannon Award)
- 1991-1995, NIH Clinical Investigator Award
- 1987, New England Endoscopy Society Winner for Clinical Study
- 1984, Alpha Omega Alpha and Trent Prize in the History of Medicine, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC
- 1983, Davison Scholarship for Study of Tropical Diseases in Brazil, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC
- 1980, Summa cum laude and Department Honors in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Research
Our group has been dedicated with passion to the elucidation of mechanisms underlying GI epithelial biology as well as precancerous conditions. We are interested in tumor initiation, the tumor microenvironment, and tumor metastasis. As part of this effort, our group has developed innovative 3D organoid culture model systems, xenograft implantation (subcutaneous and orthotopic) and genetically engineered mouse models, especially those that reflect cancers of the esophagus, pancreas and colon. We seek to translate these discoveries into novel and innovative diagnostics and therapeutics. We have published extensively in these topics in Cancer Cell, Developmental Cell, Genes and Development, JCI, PNAS, Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Protocols, and Gastroenterology. Our work bridges basic science to translational medicine; and includes clinical studies in the genetics of hereditary GI cancers. Additionally, our efforts in GI epithelial biology research have spawned our lab personnel obtaining independent faculty positions with their own federal funding.
Selected Publications
- Efe G, Dunbar KJ, Sugiura K, Cunningham K, Carcamo S, Karaiskos S, Tang Q, Cruz-Acuna R, Resnick-Silverman L, Peura J, Lu C, Hasson D, Klein-Szanto AJ, TaylorAM, Manfredi JJ, Prives C,Rustgi AK.(2023). p53 gain-of-function mutation induces metastasis via Brd4-dependent Csf-1 expression. Cance r Discovery PMID: 37676642
- Giroux V, Lento AA, Islam M, Pitarresi JR, Kharbanda A, Hamilton KE, Whelan KA, Long A, Rhoades B,Tang Q,Nakagawa H, Lengner CJ, Bass AJ, Wileyto EP, Klein-Szanto AJ, Wang TC,Rustgi AK. (2017).Long-lived keratin 15+ esophageal progenitor cells contribute to homeostasis and regeneration.J ClinInvest.2017 Jun 1;127(6):2378-2391.PMCID:PMC5451220
- Reichert M, Bakir B, Moreira L, Pitarresi JR, Feldmann K, Simon L, Suzuki K, Maddipati R, Rhim AD, Schlitter AM, Kriegsmann M, Weichert W, Wirth M, Schuck K, Schneider G, Saur D, Reynolds AB, Klein-Szanto AJ, Pehlivanoglu B, Memis B, Adsay NV, Rustgi AK. Regulation of Epithelial Plasticity Determines Metastatic Organotropism in Pancreatic Cancer. Developmental Cell 2018 Jun 18;45(6):696-711. PMID:29920275
- Chatterji P, Hamilton KE, Liang S, Andres SF, Wijeratne HRS, Mizuno R, Simon LA, Hicks PD, Foley SW, Pitarresi JR, Klein-Szanto AJ, Mah AT, Van Landeghem L, Gregory BD, Lengner CJ, Madison BB, Shah P, Rustgi AK. The LIN28B-IMP1 post-transcriptional regulon has opposing effects on oncogenic signaling in the intestine. Genes and Development 2018 Aug 1;32(15-16):1020-1034. PMID:30068703
- Stairs DB, Bayne LJ, Rhoades B, Vega ME, Waldron TJ, Kalabis J, Klein-Szanto A, Lee JS, Katz JP, Diehl JA, Reynolds AB, Vonderheide RH, Rustgi AK. Deletion of p120-catenin results in a tumor microenvironment with inflammation and cancer that establishes it as a tumor suppressor gene. Cancer Cell 2011 Apr 12;19(4):470-83. PMID:21481789
For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov