John Welch, MD, PhD

John Welch, MD, PhD

Primary Academic Title

Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Oncology, Section of Stem Cell Biology, Washington University School of Medicine

Research Interest

Understanding pathways of normal myeloid development and leukemic dysregulation of myeloid self-renewal programs. As a model system, I have focused on acute promyelocytic leukemia, which is associated with the t(15;17) translocation and the PML-RARA fusion oncoprotein. Initial exposure of hematopoietic cells to PML-RARA leads to inappropriate self-renewal but not myeloproliferation. We are now focusing on understanding programs that lead to dysregulated self-renewal by PML-RARA, especially retinoid receptor-dependent pathways.

Education

  • 2002: PhD, biomedical sciences, University of California, San Diego
  • 2004: MD, University of California, San Diego

Training

  • 2004 - 2006: Intern and resident, internal medicine, Washington University, St. Louis
  • 2006 - 2010: Fellow, hematology and oncology, Washington University

Selected Research Publications

Retinoid X receptor promotes hematopoietic stem cell fitness and quiescence and preserves hematopoietic homeostasis.
  • Menéndez-Gutiérrez MP, Porcuna J, Nayak R, [...] Welch JSS, [...] Ricote M
  • Blood 2023
Recurrent transcriptional responses in AML and MDS patients treated with decitabine.
  • Upadhyay P, Beales J, Shah NM, [...] Welch JS
  • Exp Hematol 2022
Focal disruption of DNA methylation dynamics at enhancers in IDH-mutant AML cells.
  • Wilson ER, Helton NM, Heath SE, [...] Welch JS, [...] Spencer DH
  • Leukemia 2022
Immunosuppression and outcomes in adult patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotypes.
  • Ferraro F, Miller CA, Christensen KA, [...] Welch JS, [...] Ley TJ
  • Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2021
Endogenous and combination retinoids are active in myelomonocytic leukemias.
  • Di Martino O, Niu H, Hadwiger G, [...] Welch JS
  • Haematologica 2021