Elisabeth D. Martinez, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research
- Associate Director of Cancer Center Culture, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center
"In my laboratory, I seek to empower trainees with conceptual, experimental and life-long skills and habits that will enable them to be responsible contributors to the scientific world and to society, while building a positive environment that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds. I have been blessed with teams which included trainees and junior faculty with varied experiences and out-of-the-box career paths who have enriched our work and our lives.”
Research Interests
- Deregulation of transcriptional pathways in cancer
- Drug discovery
- Epigenetic control of gene expression
- Novel therapeutics for gene expression disorders including cancer
- The role of Jumonji histone demethylases in cancer
- Transcriptional regulation by nuclear receptors
Positions
2022 – present: Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
2019 – present: Associate Professor (with tenure), Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
2013 – 2019: Assistant Professor (Tenure-accruing Track), Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
2009 – 2013: Assistant Professor (Research Track), Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
2005 – 2009: Instructor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
2002 – 2005: Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Md. Supervisor: Gordon L. Hager, Ph.D.
1996 – 2002: Graduate Student Research Fellow, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. Supervisor/mentor: Mark Danielsen, Ph.D.
1994 – 1996: Research Assistant, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. Supervisor: Mark Danielsen, Ph.D.
1993 – 1994: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Newton, Mass. Supervisor: Mary Roberts, Ph.D.
Education
Georgetown University (2002)
Honors and Awards
- 2019: The John P. Perkins Distinguished Professorship in Biomedical Science
- 2018: SWAT teaching award nomination, UTSW Cancer Biology Program
- 2018: Named ‘Top twelve women innovators at UT Southwestern”, Office of Technology Transfer, UTSW
- 2016: Gilman Special Opportunities Award, UTSW Department of Pharmacology
- 2015: Friends of the Cancer Center Award, UTSW
- 2013: Dean’s LEAD Program Capstone Recognition Award, UTSW
- 2013: Early Investigator Abstract Award, Keystone Symposia
- 2007: Abstract Award, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
- 2006: Travel Award, EMBO (09/06)
- 2004: Technology Transfer Award, National Institutes of Health
- 2003: FARE Research Excellence Award, National Institutes of Health
- 2002: Travel Award, Keystone Symposia (02/02)
- 2000: Travel Awards, Women in Endocrinology (06/00), Graduate Student Organization (07/00)
- 1994: Phi Beta Kappa – Boston College Chapter
Professional Societies/Affiliations
- 1995-2002: Nuclear Receptor Resource Project, Co-founder and member
- 1997-2007: Endocrine Society, member
- 1997-2007: Women in Endocrinology, member
- 2002-2005: National Postdoctoral Association, member
- 2003-2005: Women in Science Think Tank, Founder
- 2004-2006: American Society for Cell Biology, member
- 2006-present: American Association for Cancer Research, active member
- 2007-present: Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, member UTSW
- 2009-2013: Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer Faculty, member UTSW
- 2013-present: Experimental Therapeutics Faculty, UTSW
- 2013-present: Co-leader of Molecular Therapeutic Sensitizers theme, SCCC, UTSW
- 2014-present: American Chemical Society, member
- 2022-present: DEI Forum, NCCN