Hideho Okada, MD, PhD
Director, Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Center at UCSF
Principal Investigator, Brain Tumor Center
Research Interests: immunotherapy, cancer vaccines, T-cell therapy
Dr. Okada is a physician-scientist who has developed immunotherapeutic strategies for treating malignant brain tumors. His uses his expertise as both a scientist and clinician to develop therapeutic strategies in the laboratory, translate them into clinical protocols, and analyze the results from ongoing trials.
In fact, Dr. Okada conducted one of the first immune gene therapy trials in patients with malignant glioma. His lab work was also the first to identify and fully characterize cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes and T cell receptors (TCR) for gliomas. This seminal discovery, among others, led to the launch of novel immunotherapy trials for both adult and pediatric patients with glioma. The first of these – a phase 1 study – has already yielded evidence for the safety of the vaccine and its ability to evoke potent immunological responses as well as clinical activities in some patients.
1991: Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan, MD
1991-1992: Internship, Handa Municipal Hospital, Japan
1992-1996: Residency, Neurosurgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan
1996: Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan, PhD
1998-2001: Research Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2001-2006: Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery and Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2004-2007: Co-Program Leader, Brain Tumor Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
2007-2012: Associate Professor, Neurosurgery and Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2012-2014: Professor, Neurosurgery, Surgery and Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2014-Present: Professor, Neurological Surgery, UCSF
2016: Makoto Saito Memorial Award from Japan Neurosurgical Society
2014: Faculty Honoree in the Annual Convocation of University of Pittsburgh
2013: Faculty Honoree in the Annual Convocation of University of Pittsburgh
2011: Faculty Honoree in the Annual Convocation of University of Pittsburgh
2012: Innovator Award, University of Pittsburgh
2011: Faculty Honoree in the Annual Convocation of University of Pittsburgh
2010: Team Science Recognition Award by Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer
2010: Selected to be a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI)
2009: Faculty Honoree in the Annual Convocation of University of Pittsburgh
2009: Appointed Council in the Clinical Immunology Society
2008: University of Pittsburgh Innovator Award
2007: Excellence in Translational Medicine Award 2006-07 from Journal of Translational Medicine
2003: James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Science Initiative Research Award: Brain Cancer Research
2001: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s Clinical Scientist Development Award
1998: First Place, Award for Scientific Excellence and Potential, 10th Annual University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Scientific Retreat
1996: Uehara Memorial Foundation Postdoctoral Scholarship