{{Short description|Tumor immunologist}} {{Infobox scientist | image = George Coukos in 2021.jpg | birth_date = December 23, 1961 | alma_mater = University of Modena, Italy University of Patras, Greece University of Pennsylvania, USA | field = Cancer immunotherapy }}
'''George Coukos''' (born December 23, 1961) is a physician-scientist specializing in tumor immunology. He is currently director of the Ludwig Laboratory for Cell Therapy and professor of immunology in medicine, at Weill Cornell Medicine. <ref name="WC Lab">{{cite web |title=New Laboratory to Advance Personalized, Cell-Based Cancer Therapies |url=https://news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2026/02/new-laboratory-to-advance-personalized-cell-based-cancer-therapies |website=news.weill.cornell.edu |access-date=24 April 2026}}</ref> He is known for his work on the mechanisms by which tumors suppress anti-cancer immune responses, and the role of the tumor vasculature in that suppression.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Ludwig Cancer Research|url=https://www.ludwigcancerresearch.org/news-releases/ludwig-lausanne-director-george-coukos-receives-2021-esmo-translational-research-award/|access-date=2021-12-17}}</ref> In addition to his work in ovarian cancer, the combinatorial immune therapies proposed by Professor Coukos have been successfully tested and approved for lung, liver and kidney cancers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The ESMO 2021 Award for Translational Research recognizes the work of the Department of Oncology UNIL CHUV and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne by rewarding its director, Prof. George Coukos|url=https://www.chuv.ch/fr/chuv-home/espace-pro/journalistes/communiques-de-presse/detail/the-esmo-2021-award-for-translational-research-recognizes-the-work-of-the-department-of-oncology-unil-chuv-and-the-ludwig-institute-for-cancer-research-lausanne|access-date=2021-12-17|website=CHUV|language=fr-CH}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Born and raised in Greece, George Coukos obtained his MD in 1986 at the University of Modena, Italy, and his PhD in 1991 at the University of Patras, Greece. He completed training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Modena in 1991. He then undertook a post-doctorate fellowship in cell biology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (1991–1994), where he also completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology (1994–1997) and fellowship training in Gynecologic Oncology (1997–2000).
== Career == In 2000, he became assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He became an associate professor in 2006 and a full professor in 2010. At the University of Pennsylvania, George Coukos founded (2007) and directed the Ovarian Cancer Research Center,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2007/march/center-for-research-on-early?_ga=2.87785756.586338791.1653999695-2013326935.1651564758|title=Center for Research on Early Detection and Cure of Ovarian Cancer Launches at PENN Medicine|website=Pennmedicine.org|access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref> and served as associate director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology. In 2012, Coukos was recruited by the University of Lausanne to head up the Department of Oncology UNIL-CHUV, of the Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.unil.ch/fbm/fr/home/menuinst/la-releve-academique/nominations--promotions/professeurs-a-a-z/a-c/coukos-george.html | title=George Coukos|website=Unil.ch}}</ref> He was appointed director of the Lausanne Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in the same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ludwigcancerresearch.org/news-releases/ludwig-welcomes-the-appointment-of-george-coukos-to-new-european-cancer-center-of-excellence/|title=Ludwig Cancer Research|website=Ludwigcancerresearch.org|access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref> In 2026, Coukos was appointed director of the newly-formed Ludwig Laboratory for Cell Therapy at Weill Cornell Medicine, housed within the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center.<ref name="WC Lab"/> At that time, Coukos was also appointed professor of immunology in medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.
== Major accomplishments == * Discovery of a spontaneous anti-tumor response in ovarian cancer, previously thought to be present only in a few tumor types, such as kidney cancer or melanoma<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=Lin|last2=Conejo-Garcia|first2=Jose R.|last3=Katsaros|first3=Dionyssios|last4=Gimotty|first4=Phyllis A.|last5=Massobrio|first5=Marco|last6=Regnani|first6=Giorgia|last7=Makrigiannakis|first7=Antonis|last8=Gray|first8=Heidi|last9=Schlienger|first9=Katia|last10=Liebman|first10=Michael N.|last11=Coukos|first11=George|date=2003|title=Intratumoral T cells, recurrence, and survival in epithelial ovarian cancer|journal=The New England Journal of Medicine|volume=348|issue=3|pages=203–213|doi=10.1056/NEJMoa020177|issn=1533-4406|pmid=12529460|doi-access=free}}</ref> * First to propose the notion that tumor endothelial barrier actively controls the localization of T cells in tumors,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Buckanovich|first1=Ronald J.|last2=Facciabene|first2=Andrea|last3=Kim|first3=Sarah|last4=Benencia|first4=Fabian|last5=Sasaroli|first5=Dimitra|last6=Balint|first6=Klara|last7=Katsaros|first7=Dionysios|last8=O'Brien-Jenkins|first8=Anne|last9=Gimotty|first9=Phyllis A.|last10=Coukos|first10=George|date=2008|title=Endothelin B receptor mediates the endothelial barrier to T cell homing to tumors and disables immune therapy|journal=Nature Medicine|volume=14|issue=1|pages=28–36|doi=10.1038/nm1699|issn=1546-170X|pmid=18157142|s2cid=14822376 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Motz|first1=Gregory T.|last2=Santoro|first2=Stephen P.|last3=Wang|first3=Li-Ping|last4=Garrabrant|first4=Tom|last5=Lastra|first5=Ricardo R.|last6=Hagemann|first6=Ian S.|last7=Lal|first7=Priti|last8=Feldman|first8=Michael D.|last9=Benencia|first9=Fabian|last10=Coukos|first10=George|date=2014|title=Tumor endothelium FasL establishes a selective immune barrier promoting tolerance in tumors|journal=Nature Medicine|volume=20|issue=6|pages=607–615|doi=10.1038/nm.3541|issn=1546-170X|pmc=4060245|pmid=24793239}}</ref> sparking major international efforts towards the development of combinations of anti-angiogenesis drugs with immune checkpoints in numerous solid tumors<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Motz|first1=Gregory T.|last2=Coukos|first2=George|date=2011-09-23|title=The parallel lives of angiogenesis and immunosuppression: cancer and other tales|journal=Nature Reviews. Immunology|volume=11|issue=10|pages=702–711|doi=10.1038/nri3064|issn=1474-1741|pmid=21941296|s2cid=28894601 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Motz|first1=Greg T.|last2=Coukos|first2=George|date=2013-07-25|title=Deciphering and reversing tumor immune suppression|journal=Immunity|volume=39|issue=1|pages=61–73|doi=10.1016/j.immuni.2013.07.005|issn=1097-4180|pmc=3782392|pmid=23890064}}</ref> * Discovery of mechanisms of immune recognition, including neoantigens, and development of rational T-cell therapy based on pursuit of neoantigens<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bobisse|first1=Sara|last2=Genolet|first2=Raphael|last3=Roberti|first3=Annalisa|last4=Tanyi|first4=Janos L.|last5=Racle|first5=Julien|last6=Stevenson|first6=Brian J.|last7=Iseli|first7=Christian|last8=Michel|first8=Alexandra|last9=Le Bitoux|first9=Marie-Aude|last10=Guillaume|first10=Philippe|last11=Coukos|first11=George|date=2018|title=Sensitive and frequent identification of high avidity neo-epitope specific CD8+T cells in immunotherapy-naive ovarian cancer|journal=Nature Communications|volume=9|issue=1|page=1092|doi=10.1038/s41467-018-03301-0|issn=2041-1723|pmc=5854609|pmid=29545564|bibcode=2018NatCo...9.1092B }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Chong|first1=Chloe|last2=Coukos|first2=George|last3=Bassani-Sternberg|first3=Michal|date=2021-10-11|title=Identification of tumor antigens with immunopeptidomics|journal=Nature Biotechnology|volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=175–188 |doi=10.1038/s41587-021-01038-8|issn=1546-1696|pmid=34635837|s2cid=238637137 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Arnaud|first1=Marion|last2=Chiffelle|first2=Johanna|last3=Genolet|first3=Raphael|last4=Navarro Rodrigo|first4=Blanca|last5=Perez|first5=Marta A. S.|last6=Huber|first6=Florian|last7=Magnin|first7=Morgane|last8=Nguyen-Ngoc|first8=Tu|last9=Guillaume|first9=Philippe|last10=Baumgaertner|first10=Petra|last11=Coukos|first11=George|date=2021|title=Sensitive identification of neoantigens and cognate TCRs in human solid tumors|journal=Nature Biotechnology|volume=40 |issue=5 |pages=656–660 |doi=10.1038/s41587-021-01072-6|issn=1546-1696|pmid=34782741|pmc=9110298 }}</ref> * Discovery of the pro-angiogenic role of T regulatory cells and tumor monocytes<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Markiewski|first1=Maciej M.|last2=DeAngelis|first2=Robert A.|last3=Benencia|first3=Fabian|last4=Ricklin-Lichtsteiner|first4=Salome K.|last5=Koutoulaki|first5=Anna|last6=Gerard|first6=Craig|last7=Coukos|first7=George|last8=Lambris|first8=John D.|date=2008|title=Modulation of the antitumor immune response by complement|journal=Nature Immunology|volume=9|issue=11|pages=1225–1235|doi=10.1038/ni.1655|issn=1529-2916|pmc=2678913|pmid=18820683}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Facciabene|first1=Andrea|last2=Peng|first2=Xiaohui|last3=Hagemann|first3=Ian S.|last4=Balint|first4=Klara|last5=Barchetti|first5=Andrea|last6=Wang|first6=Li-Ping|last7=Gimotty|first7=Phyllis A.|last8=Gilks|first8=C. Blake|last9=Lal|first9=Priti|last10=Zhang|first10=Lin|last11=Coukos|first11=George|date=2011-07-13|title=Tumour hypoxia promotes tolerance and angiogenesis via CCL28 and T(reg) cells|journal=Nature|volume=475|issue=7355|pages=226–230|doi=10.1038/nature10169|issn=1476-4687|pmid=21753853|s2cid=785079 }}</ref> * Development of immunotherapies such as an autologous dendritic cell vaccine and adoptive T-cell therapy with vaccine-primed autologous T-cells<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Tanyi|first1=Janos L.|last2=Bobisse|first2=Sara|last3=Ophir|first3=Eran|last4=Tuyaerts|first4=Sandra|last5=Roberti|first5=Annalisa|last6=Genolet|first6=Raphael|last7=Baumgartner|first7=Petra|last8=Stevenson|first8=Brian J.|last9=Iseli|first9=Christian|last10=Dangaj|first10=Denarda|last11=Coukos|first11=George|date=2018-04-11|title=Personalized cancer vaccine effectively mobilizes antitumor T cell immunity in ovarian cancer|journal=Science Translational Medicine|volume=10|issue=436|article-number=eaao5931|doi=10.1126/scitranslmed.aao5931|issn=1946-6242|pmid=29643231|s2cid=4937557 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Giordano-Attianese|first1=Greta|last2=Gainza|first2=Pablo|last3=Gray-Gaillard|first3=Elise|last4=Cribioli|first4=Elisabetta|last5=Shui|first5=Sailan|last6=Kim|first6=Seonghoon|last7=Kwak|first7=Mi-Jeong|last8=Vollers|first8=Sabrina|last9=Corria Osorio|first9=Angel De Jesus|last10=Reichenbach|first10=Patrick|last11=Coukos|first11=George|date=2020|title=A computationally designed chimeric antigen receptor provides a small-molecule safety switch for T-cell therapy|url=https://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/275813/files/s41587-019-0403-9.pdf|journal=Nature Biotechnology|volume=38|issue=4|pages=426–432|doi=10.1038/s41587-019-0403-9|issn=1546-1696|pmid=32015549|s2cid=211017736 }}</ref>
== Awards and honors == * American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation's Scholar<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aaogf.org/scholarships/former-scholars/|title=Former Scholars – American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation|website=Aaogf.org|access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref> (2000) *Bristol-Myers Immunology-Oncology Young Investigator Grant, Gynecologic Cancer Foundation <ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://openwater-public.s3.amazonaws.com/sonar-uploads%2FB0eIah7Sj2V31RpZVIn7_FWC-Research-Grants-and-Awards-History-Report.pdf |title=Research Grants and Awards History Report|website=Openwater-public.s3.amazonaws.com|access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref> (2001) * Translational Science Award, Sidney Kimmel Foundation <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/37390181/view-coukos-biographical-sketch-abramson-family-cancer- | title=View coukos biographical sketch - Abramson Family Cancer }}</ref> (2002) * Margaret Greenfield Award for Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research, Gynecologic Cancer Foundation <ref name="auto"/> (2005) * Judah Folkman Award, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coukos|url=https://acgtfoundation.org/groundbreaking-research/what-we-fund/coukos/|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy|language=en-US}}</ref> (2006) *Sir William Osler Award for Excellence in Patient-Oriented Research, University of Pennsylvania<ref>{{Cite web|title=CV - George Coukos|url=https://studyres.com/doc/7870055/cv---george-coukos---md-anderson-cancer-center|access-date=2021-12-18|website=studyres.com}}</ref> (2006) * Mimi Yurkow Courage Award, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Southern New Jersey Chapter(2007) * Teal Magnolias Award, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (2008) * Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance <ref>{{cite web | url=https://ocrahope.org/institution/university-of-pennsylvania/ | title=University of Pennsylvania |website=Ocrahope.org}}</ref> (2008 and 2012) * Angela Carlino Award, Sandy Foundation <ref>{{cite web | url=https://ovariancancer.blogspot.com/2009/09/september-26-2009-fashion-fights.html | title=September 26, 2009 Fashion Fights Ovarian Cancer_ Sandy Rollman |website=Ovariancancer.blogspot.com}}</ref> (2009) * Rosalind Franklin Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research Award <ref>{{cite web | url=https://ocrahope.org/events/conference/awards-prizes/ | title=OCRA National Conference Awards & Prizes | website=Ocrahope.org | access-date=2022-05-31 | archive-date=2021-05-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517113616/https://ocrahope.org/events/conference/awards-prizes/ }}</ref> (2010) * National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Transformative Award<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-09-18|title=NIH Director's Transformative Research Award Program - 2010 Award Recipients|url=https://commonfund.nih.gov/tra/recipients10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320015827/http://commonfund.nih.gov/TRA/recipients10|archive-date=March 20, 2015|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Commonfund.nih.gov|language=en}}</ref> (2010) * Claudia Cohen Research Foundation Prize for Outstanding Gynecologic <ref name="auto"/> (2012) *Advanced grant, European Research Council<ref>{{Cite web|title=European Research Council|url=https://news.unil.ch/display/1386931250272110|access-date=2021-12-17|website=News.unil.ch}}</ref> (2013) * Stewart J. Rahr Foundation Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Award<ref>{{Cite web|author1=Webmaster |title=Challenge Awards - Class of 2018|url=https://www.pcf.org/c/challenge-awards-class-of-2018/|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Prostate Cancer Foundation|date=15 August 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref> (2018) * Helga Salvesen Award for Best Translational Research, European Society of Gynecological Oncology<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helga Salvesen Award|url=https://twitter.com/esgo_society/status/1191264000987803648|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Twitter|language=en}}</ref> (2019) * European Society of Medical Oncology Award for Translational Research<ref>{{Cite web|last=ESMO|title=ESMO Award for Translational Research|url=https://www.esmo.org/about-esmo/awards/esmo-award-for-translational-research|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Esmo.org|language=en-GB}}</ref> (2021) * Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher <ref>{{cite web | url=https://recognition.webofscience.com/awards/highly-cited/2021/ | title=Highly Cited Researchers|website=Recognition.webofscience.com | date=13 November 2024}}</ref> (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024) * American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy Fellow <ref>{{cite web |title= AACR Announces Fellows of the AACR Academy Class of 2023 and New AACR Academy President| url=https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/newsroom/news-releases/aacr-announces-fellows-of-the-aacr-academy-class-of-2023-and-new-aacr-academy-president/|access-date=2023-04-10| website=www.aacr.org}}</ref> (2023) * US National Academy of Medicine (2024)
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.unil.ch/dof/coukos George Coukos academic profile at University of Lausanne] * [https://www.ludwigcancerresearch.org/scientist/george-coukos/ George Coukos profile at Ludwig Cancer Research] * George Coukos publications indexed by [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hMCe4zYAAAAJ&hl=fr&oi=ao Google Scholar] * University of Lausanne * Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) * Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coukos, George}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:University of Modena and Reggio Emilia alumni Category:University of Patras alumni Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:Obstetricians Category:Gynaecologists Category:Academic staff of the University of Lausanne Category:Cancer researchers Category:Immunologists Category:University of Pennsylvania faculty Category:Members of the National Academy of Medicine