Dr. Souroullas joined the Department of Medicine on May 1st 2018 as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Section.
Dr. Souroullas received his Bachelor’s degree in Genetics and Microbiology from Ohio Wesleyan University. He then pursued graduate studies at Baylor College of Medicine in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics. He completed his thesis work in the lab of Dr. Margaret Goodell where he studied the role of bHLH transcription factors on hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. He continued postdoctoral work in the lab of Dr. Norman (Ned) Sharpless at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. During that time, while investigating the mechanisms of various tumor suppressors and oncogenes, he became interested in the role that epigenetic regulators played in regulating these genes, but also their role in general during cancer development. Specifically, he studied the role of a class of epigenetic regulators, the histone-modifying group of proteins known as the polycomb repressive complex 1 and 2. His work focused on understanding the underlying oncogenic mechanisms of a frequent mutation in one of those proteins, EZH2, which led to a high-profile publication, along with a significant interest within the cancer epigenetics field with regards to the translational potential of this work. One of the reasons Dr. Souroullas decided to join the Division of Oncology at Washington University in St. Louis is the tremendous opportunities it offers in terms of translating basic science discoveries into the clinic. In fact, in collaboration with other colleagues within Oncology, Dr. Souroullas is already working on a grant proposal for a clinical trial based on his pre-clinical studies.
During both his graduate and postdoctoral work, Dr. Souroullas’ contributions were reflected both in the quality of his publications, his presentations at national meetings, but also in securing his own independent funding. At Washington University, Dr. Souroullas is leading his own basic science lab and research program, which involves the use of genetically engineered mouse models, along with molecular, biochemical and pharmacological approaches to understand the role of Polycomb group proteins during cancer development, with a special interest in B cell lymphoma and melanoma.