Bernard A. Fox, PhD

Bernard A. Fox, PhDMember and Harder Family Endowed Chair in Cancer Research, Molecular and Tumor
Immunology Laboratory
Earle A. Chiles Research Institute
Providence Cancer Institute

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For more than 30 years, Dr. Fox has directed his research efforts at improving the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. An expert in tumor immunology and immune profiling, he leads the Laboratory of Molecular and Tumor Immunology at the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, a Providence Center of Excellence for immuno-oncology and cellular therapy. He also oversees the Biospecimen Repository, a core facility of the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute.

Dr. Fox’s background in translational cancer immunotherapy developed from his tenure as a fellow in Dr. Steven Rosenberg’s lab at the National Cancer Institute. His research efforts are divided between preclinical models; the development, performance and monitoring of cancer immunotherapy trials; and the training of the next generation of translational investigators.

In 2012, Dr. Fox received the Harder Family Endowed Chair for Cancer Research in recognition of his efforts in translational cancer therapy.

Along with his roles at Providence and on various editorial boards, Dr. Fox is an adjunct graduate faculty member in the department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Oregon Health & Science University.

Molecular and Tumor Immunology Lab

The Molecular and Tumor Immunology Lab has both a preclinical effort to develop new strategies to increase therapeutic potential, and a clinical effort to translate new findings into better therapies for patients with cancer. Collaborations with academia and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have led to first-in-human clinical trials of immunotherapy combined with other cancer therapies. The lab’s team uses genomics, seromics, peptidomics, immunoprofiling and multiplex immunofluorescence to provide an in-depth analysis of the anticancer immune response in patients.

In collaboration with colleagues, Dr. Fox and his team are also working to identify the contributions of non-canonical and non-mutated neoantigens to the cancer peptidome. The lab is a leader in the use of tissue-based immunoscore and immunoprofiling to evaluate pretreatment immune responses in preclinical animal models and patients with cancer. 

Education
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Cellular Biology/Biophysics, Wayne State University, 1985
  • Master of Science, Immunology, University of Detroit, 1978
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Detroit, 1975
  • Senior staff fellow, Surgery Branch, Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute, National Institute for Health, 1987-1990  
  • Staff fellow, Surgery Branch, Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute, National Institute for Health, 1985-1987 
Professional Experience
  • Visiting professor, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Graduate Inst. of Oncology, 2018-present
  • Member, Laboratory of Molecular and Tumor Immunology, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, 2012-present
  • Leader/Co-leader, Tumor Immunology Focus Group, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, 2005-present
  • Guest Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China, 2001-2010
  • Sabbatical, DAAD Guest Professor, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 2001-2002
  • Associate professor, Environmental & Biomolecular Systems, Oregon Graduate Institute, 1995-2011
  • Member, Oregon Cancer Center, Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute, 1994-present
  • Adjunct associate professor, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, 1994-present
  • Associate member, Laboratory of Molecular and Tumor Immunology, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center, 1994-2012
  • Member, University of Michigan Cancer Center, 1990-1994
  • Instructor, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1990-1994
Memberships & Review Panels
  • American Association for Advancement of Science
  • American Association for Cancer Research
  • American Association of Immunologists
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • European Society for Medical Oncology 
  • Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC)
  • Member, Cellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee, Office of Tissue and Advanced Therapies, CBER,US FDA, 2020-present  
  • SITC COVID-19 Response Task Force, 2020-2021
  • Chair, Scientific Advisory Board, Marseille Immunopole, French National Science, 2019-present
  • Agency/European Union NSCLC Immunotherapy Program, 2019-2024
  • Council Member, American Cancer Society, 2015-2018
  • Board of Directors, Oregon Bioscience Association, 2014-present
  • External Advisory Board, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 2014-2016
  • Section Editor, Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, SITC official Journal, 2013-2016
  • Scientific Advisory Board, McMasters Immunology Research Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, 2012-2015
  • Chair, SITC Global Colon Cancer Immunoscore Taskforce / Steering Committee, 2012-present
  • Chair, World Immunotherapy Council (WIC), 2011-present
  • Editorial Board, OncoImmunology and International Journal of Oncology, 2011-2022
  • Executive Council, SITC, 2010-2020
  • External Advisory Board, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, 2009-present
  • Editorial Board, Tumor Immunology and Biological Cancer Therapy, iSBTc/SITC section of the Journal of Translational Medicine, 2009-2015
  • External Scientific Advisory Board, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of S.C., 2009-2013
  • President, SITC, 2008-2010
  • Vice President/President Elect, SITC, 2006-2008
  • Co-founder and managing member/CEO, UbiVac, 2005-present
  • Member, Cancer Immunopathology and Immunotherapy (CII) Study Section NCI, NIH, 2003-2005
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Immunotherapy, 2003-2010
  • Board of Directors, International Society for the Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc / SITC), 2002-2005  
  • Member, Experimental Therapeutics II (ETII) Study Section NCI, NIH, 2002-2003
  • Editorial Board, Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy, 2001-2009
  • Editorial Board – Cellular Immunology and Current Molecular Medicine, 2000-2009
Awards
  • Team Science Award, SITC, 2020
  • Extraordinary Service to Society Award, SITC, 2020
  • Bridge Award, Melanoma Foundation Onlus, 2020
  • Visionary/Legacy Award, SITC 30th annual meeting, National Harbor, Md., 2015
  • Harder Family Endowed Chair for Cancer Research, 2012
  • Spirit of Emilie (Gamelin) Mission Inspiration Award, Providence Health & Services, 2009
  • Visiting Professor Award, Chiles Foundation, 2001-2002
  • Guest Professor Award, Der Deutsche Akademische Austausch Dienst, 2001-2002
  • Science Recognition Award for New Investigators, Clinical Immunology Society,1990
  • Travel Grant, 7th International Immunology Congress, American Association of Immunology, 1989

Dr. Fox’s research is published in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals. He has has partnered with colleagues on various research projects and clinical trials, including projects funded by the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense.    

View Dr. Fox’s full list of peer-reviewed publications