Avrum Spira, MD
Alexander Graham Bell Professor in Health Care Entrepreneurship
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Computational Biomedicine

MD, McGill University
MSc, Boston University
DEC, Vanier College



Dr. Spira is a Professor of Medicine, Pathology and Bioinformatics, and the Alexander Graham Bell Professor in Health Care Entrepreneurship at Boston University. He is founding Chief of the Division of Computational Biomedicine in the Department of Medicine and Director of the Boston University – Boston Medical Center Cancer Center. He is also an attending physician in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Boston Medical Center.

Dr. Spira is also the Global Head of the Lung Cancer Initiative (LCI) at Johnson & Johnson, which is developing solutions to prevent, intercept and cure lung cancer.

Dr. Spira obtained his MD from McGill University in Montreal, and completed his Internal medicine residency at the University of Toronto and his fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at BMC. During his fellowship, Dr. Spira obtained a master’s degree in Bioinformatics from Boston University.

Since his 2003 appointment to the BU faculty, Dr. Spira has built a translational research program that focuses on genomic alterations associated with smoking-related lung disease, leading to a molecular test for the early detection of lung cancer that has successfully translated into the clinic (PerceptaTM) as well as a novel therapeutic for COPD that is in preclinical development. His research program is based on the paradigm that smoking and other inhaled carcinogens create a ‘field of molecular injury’ in epithelial cells that line the respiratory tract. By sampling these relatively accessible airway cells, Dr. Spira’s lab has developed novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for lung cancer and COPD as well as a non-invasive approach for measuring the physiological response to a number of inhaled environmental exposures. He has co-founded both a molecular diagnostics company and a pharmaceutical company in order to translate these tools from “bench to bedside”.

He serves as Principal Investigator on grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI); National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Department of Defense (DoD), and has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Spira was a permanent member of the NIH’s Cancer Biomarker Study Section (CBSS) and currently serves as Senior Editor at Cancer Prevention Research as well as Associate Editor at the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. He was elected a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) in 2010 and a member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP) in 2017.

Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Computational Biomedicine

Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine


Section Chief of Medicine in Computational Biomedicine
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Computational Biomedicine

Member
Boston University
BU-BMC Cancer Center


Member
Boston University
Pulmonary Center


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Member
Boston University
Bioinformatics Graduate Program


Member
Boston University
Genome Science Institute


Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences




Intercept lung cancer through immune, imaging & molecular evaluation-InTime
07/15/2023 - 07/14/2026 (PI)
American Lung Association


Intercept lung cancer through immune, imaging & molecular evaluation-InTime
07/15/2023 - 07/14/2026 (PI)
LUNGevity Foundation


The Lung PCA: A Multi-Dimensional Atlas of Pulmonary Premalignancy
09/30/2018 - 08/31/2024 (PI)
NIH/National Cancer Institute
3U2CCA233238-01S2

Intercept lung cancer through immune, imaging & molecular evaluation-InTime
03/01/2018 - 02/28/2023 (PI)
American Association for Cancer Research


Development of a lung cancer nasal gene expression classifier in patients with indeterminate pulmonary nodules
01/15/2021 - 12/31/2022 (PI)
International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer


The Boston University-UCLA Lung Cancer Biomarker Development Lab
09/20/2016 - 09/30/2022 (Multi PI of Sub-Project / SP)
PI: Marc Lenburg, PhD
NIH/National Cancer Institute
3U01CA214182-05S1

New England Centenarian Study
07/01/2016 - 06/30/2022 (Multi-PI)
PI: Avrum Spira, MD
The William M. Wood Foundation


Integrated molecular, cellular and imaging characterization of screen-detected lung cancer
09/16/2015 - 08/31/2021 (PI of Sub-Project / SP)
PI: Marc Lenburg, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles NIH NCI
3U01CA196408-05S1

Detection of Early Lung Cancer Among Military Personnel (DECAMP)
09/30/2011 - 03/29/2019 (PI)
Department of Defense/Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity


Correlating Histological, Radiological, and Gene Expression Patterns in the Lungs of IPF Patients
10/16/2015 - 10/15/2018 (PI)
Genentech, Inc.


Showing 10 of 38 results. Show All Results


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2021 The Lung PCA: A Multi-Dimensional Atlas of Pulmonary Premalignancy 3U2CCA233238-01S2 1
2021 Administrative Core 3U2CCA233238-01S2-8062 1
2020 The Lung PCA: A Multi-Dimensional Atlas of Pulmonary Premalignancy 3U2CCA233238-01S1 1
2018 The Lung PCA: A Multi-Dimensional Atlas of Pulmonary Premalignancy 1U2CCA233238-01 1
2018 Administrative Core 1U2CCA233238-01-8062 1
2018 Integrated Molecular, Cellular, and Imaging Characterization of Screen-Detected Lung Cancer 5U01CA196408-04 7
2017 The Boston University-UCLA Lung Cancer Biomarker Development Lab 5U01CA214182-02 7
2017 Integrated Molecular, Cellular, and Imaging Characterization of Screen-Detected Lung Cancer 3U01CA196408-03S1 7
2017 Integrated Molecular, Cellular, and Imaging Characterization of Screen-Detected Lung Cancer 5U01CA196408-03 7
2016 Molecular and Imaging Biomarkers for Early Lung Cancer Detection in the Setting of Indeterminate Pulmonary Nodules 1R01CA210360-01 4
Showing 10 of 55 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Hu X, Zhu B, Vokes N, Fujimoto J, Rojas Alvarez FR, Heeke S, Moreira AL, Solis LM, Haymaker C, Velcheti V, Sterman DH, Pass HI, Cheng C, Lee JJ, Zhang J, Wei Z, Wu J, Le X, Ostrin E, Toumazis I, Gibbons D, Su D, Fukuoka J, Antonoff MB, Gerber DE, Li C, Kadara H, Wang L, Davis M, Heymach JV, Hannash S, Wistuba I, Dubinett S, Alexandrov L, Lippman S, Spira A, Futreal AP, Reuben A, Zhang J. The evolution of lung adenocarcinoma precursors is associated with chromosomal instability and transition from innate to adaptive immune response/evasion. Res Sq. 2024 May 15. PMID: 38798564; PMCID: PMC11118701; DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4396272/v1;
     
  2. Han G, Sinjab A, Rahal Z, Lynch AM, Treekitkarnmongkol W, Liu Y, Serrano AG, Feng J, Liang K, Khan K, Lu W, Hernandez SD, Liu Y, Cao X, Dai E, Pei G, Hu J, Abaya C, Gomez-Bolanos LI, Peng F, Chen M, Parra ER, Cascone T, Sepesi B, Moghaddam SJ, Scheet P, Negrao MV, Heymach JV, Li M, Dubinett SM, Stevenson CS, Spira AE, Fujimoto J, Solis LM, Wistuba II, Chen J, Wang L, Kadara H. Author Correction: An atlas of epithelial cell states and plasticity in lung adenocarcinoma. Nature. 2024 Apr; 628(8006):E1. PMID: 38499683; PMCID: PMC10990920; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07277-4;
     
  3. Han G, Sinjab A, Rahal Z, Lynch AM, Treekitkarnmongkol W, Liu Y, Serrano AG, Feng J, Liang K, Khan K, Lu W, Hernandez SD, Liu Y, Cao X, Dai E, Pei G, Hu J, Abaya C, Gomez-Bolanos LI, Peng F, Chen M, Parra ER, Cascone T, Sepesi B, Moghaddam SJ, Scheet P, Negrao MV, Heymach JV, Li M, Dubinett SM, Stevenson CS, Spira AE, Fujimoto J, Solis LM, Wistuba II, Chen J, Wang L, Kadara H. An atlas of epithelial cell states and plasticity in lung adenocarcinoma. Nature. 2024 Mar; 627(8004):656-663. PMID: 38418883; PMCID: PMC10954546; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07113-9;
     
  4. Lamb CR, Rieger-Christ KM, Reddy C, Huang J, Ding J, Johnson M, Walsh PS, Bulman WA, Lofaro LR, Wahidi MM, Feller-Kopman DJ, Spira A, Kennedy GC, Mazzone PJ. A Nasal Swab Classifier to Evaluate the Probability of Lung Cancer in Patients With Pulmonary Nodules. Chest. 2024 Apr; 165(4):1009-1019. PMID: 38030063
     
  5. Yanagawa J, Tran LM, Salehi-Rad R, Lim RJ, Dumitras C, Fung E, Wallace WD, Prosper AE, Fishbein G, Shea C, Hong R, Kahangi B, Deng JJ, Gower AC, Liu B, Campbell JD, Mazzilli SA, Beane JE, Kadara H, Lenburg ME, Spira AE, Aberle DR, Krysan K, Dubinett SM. Single-Cell Characterization of Pulmonary Nodules Implicates Suppression of Immunosurveillance across Early Stages of Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res. 2023 Oct 02; 83(19):3305-3319.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37477508; PMCID: PMC10544016; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-23-0128;
     
  6. Pavel AB, Garrison C, Luo L, Liu G, Taub D, Xiao J, Juan-Guardela B, Tedrow J, Alekseyev YO, Yang IV, Geraci MW, Sciurba F, Schwartz DA, Kaminski N, Beane J, Spira A, Lenburg ME, Campbell JD. Integrative genetic and genomic networks identify microRNA associated with COPD and ILD. Sci Rep. 2023 Aug 11; 13(1):13076.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37567908; PMCID: PMC10421936; DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39751-w;
     
  7. Bruhm DC, Mathios D, Foda ZH, Annapragada AV, Medina JE, Adleff V, Chiao EJ, Ferreira L, Cristiano S, White JR, Mazzilli SA, Billatos E, Spira A, Zaidi AH, Mueller J, Kim AK, Anagnostou V, Phallen J, Scharpf RB, Velculescu VE. Single-molecule genome-wide mutation profiles of cell-free DNA for non-invasive detection of cancer. Nat Genet. 2023 Aug; 55(8):1301-1310.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37500728; PMCID: PMC10412448; DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01446-3;
     
  8. Ning B, Tilston-Lunel AM, Simonetti J, Hicks-Berthet J, Matschulat A, Pfefferkorn R, Spira A, Edwards M, Mazzilli S, Lenburg ME, Beane JE, Varelas X. Convergence of YAP/TAZ, TEAD and TP63 activity is associated with bronchial premalignant severity and progression. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2023 May 08; 42(1):116.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37150829; PMCID: PMC10165825; DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02674-5;
     
  9. Xu K, Diaz AA, Duan F, Lee M, Xiao X, Liu H, Liu G, Cho MH, Gower AC, Alekseyev YO, Spira A, Aberle DR, Washko GR, Billatos E, Lenburg ME. Bronchial gene expression alterations associated with radiological bronchiectasis. Eur Respir J. 2023 Jan; 61(1).View Related Profiles. PMID: 36229050; PMCID: PMC9881226; DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00120-2022;
     
  10. Hao D, Han G, Sinjab A, Gomez-Bolanos LI, Lazcano R, Serrano A, Hernandez SD, Dai E, Cao X, Hu J, Dang M, Wang R, Chu Y, Song X, Zhang J, Parra ER, Wargo JA, Swisher SG, Cascone T, Sepesi B, Futreal AP, Li M, Dubinett SM, Fujimoto J, Solis Soto LM, Wistuba II, Stevenson CS, Spira A, Shalapour S, Kadara H, Wang L. The Single-Cell Immunogenomic Landscape of B and Plasma Cells in Early-Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Discov. 2022 Nov 02; 12(11):2626-2645. PMID: 36098652; PMCID: PMC9633381; DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-21-1658;
     
Showing 10 of 177 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 177 publications over 24 distinct years, with a maximum of 18 publications in 2016

YearPublications
20001
20022
20033
20045
20053
20063
20075
20084
20097
20108
20118
20127
201312
201411
201512
201618
201713
201812
201912
20207
202110
20225
20236
20243

2011-2011 ASCI: Elected member ASCI
2010-2010 Uniting Against Lung Cancer: Caine Halter Hope Now Award, Uniting Against Lung Cancer
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

airway epithelium
airway gene expression
bioinformatics
cancer biomarkers
COPD
gene-expression
genomics
lung cancer
smoking
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75 E. Newton St Evans Building
Boston MA 02118
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