John M. Maris

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John M. Maris is an American pediatric oncologist who leads pediatric cancer research at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He holds the Giulio D’Angio Endowed Professor of Pediatrics title at CHOP and is a Full Professor at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Education
- B.S. in Biology from Wheeling Jesuit University (1983)
- M.D. from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (1989)

Career and work
- Began as an assistant professor of Pediatrics at Penn in 1996, focusing on neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, and its genetic causes.
- Used an integrated approach, combining genetic and functional studies to identify targets in neuroblastoma.
- Promoted to associate professor and elected to the Society for Pediatric Research; elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2007.
- In 2008, his team identified common DNA variations on chromosome 6, a genetic origin for parts of neuroblastoma.
- Collaborated with Yael Moss to test crizotinib as a potential neuroblastoma treatment.
- Became chief of Oncology at CHOP and director of CHOP’s Center for Childhood Cancer Research in 2010.
- In 2013, co-chaired the Stand Up to Cancer–St. Baldrick’s Foundation Immunogenomics Dream Team, using genomics to find targets for CAR T-cell therapy.
- Co-authored a 2013 study showing that targeting Chk1 and Wee1 kinases slowed neuroblastoma in mice, and he tested the investigational drug LEE011.
- The Dream Team identified several high-risk neuroblastoma targets and developed cellular therapies aimed at killing tumor cells.
- The team received the 2021 American Association for Cancer Research Team Science Award for their collaborative work during the COVID-19 era.

Spouse
- Yael Mossé

Publications
- Maris has a large number of publications focusing on neuroblastoma.