An internationally recognized pioneer in the field of cancer immunobiology, Greenberg has made groundbreaking contributions to the investigation of host T-cell responses to pathogenic viral infections. His work has led to crucial insights into the understanding of the mechanisms by which T cells distinguish tumor cells from normal cells and has fueled the advancement of adoptive T-cell therapy approaches in various cancers, including leukemia. His research also showed that CD4-positive helper T cells work both collaboratively and independently of CD8-positive cytotoxic T cells to eradicate tumor cells. This work has since been applied to the development of treatments for late-stage melanoma and leukemia.
Dr. Greenberg received his medical degree from the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, New York, in 1971; a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from the Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri in 1967. He was a postdoctoral research fellow (1974-1976) in immunology, and intern and resident in medicine (1971-1974) at the University of California at San Diego, California.
Dr. Greenberg has been director of the Immunology Program, University of Washington Center for AIDS Research (1988-2003); associate professor (1982-1988) and assistant professor (1978-1982), Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine; associate member (1982-1988) and assistant member (1978-1982), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and senior fellow, Division of Oncology, University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (1976-1978), Seattle, Washington.
Dr. Greenberg has been a member of the Finance and Audit Committee (2019-2022); vice chair of the Annual Meeting Program Committee (2019-2020); member of the Board of Directors (2017-2020); member of the AACR Cancer Progress Report Steering Committee (2017); member of the Annual Meeting Education Committee (2016-2017); cochair (2016) and member (2015) of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference Scientific Committee; editor-in-chief (2015-present) and senior editor (2012-2015) of Cancer Immunology Research; member of the Continuing Medical Education Committee (2014-2017); member of the AACR-Cancer Research Institute Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology Selection Committee (2012-2014); and member of the Editorial Board of Clinical Cancer Research (1994-1997). He was elected as a Fellow of the AACR Academy in 2019.
Over the years, Dr. Greenberg has been elected to the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s Inaugural Class of Fellows of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology (2021); project leader of The Weill Neurohub Investigators Program (2021-present); recipient of the Precision Medicine World Conference Luminary Award (2020); elected distinguished fellow of the American Association of Immunologists (2019); recipient of the American Society of Hematology E. Donnall Thomas Prize for Pioneering Research Achievements in Hematology (2019); recipient of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Richard Smalley Memorial Award (2018); investigator of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (2017-present); member of the Stand Up To Cancer Scientific Advisory Committee (2013-2019); recipient of the Cancer Research Institute’s William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Tumor Immunology (2011); recipient of the International Society for Biologic Therapy Team Science Award for Career Achievements (2010); elected fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP) (2008); elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2007); recipient of the National Institutes of Health MERIT Award (1999-2007); elected member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP) (1998); member of the NIH Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council (1998-2002); member of the Board of Scientific Counselors, NCI (1992-1996); and elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) (1987).