Gregory J Aune, MD, PhD

Dr. Gregory J. Aune is the Greehey Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Survivorship in Children, the Stephanie Edlund Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Cancer Research, and a tenured Associate Professor of Pediatrics.  His experience in pediatric cancer spans over 30 years and encompasses his own patient experiences, research in experimental therapeutics, clinical care of pediatric oncology patients, and childhood cancer advocacy.  His interest in pediatric oncology began at age 16, when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  While fortunate to survive, the experiences he encountered as a patient initiated a path towards a research and clinical career aimed at developing less toxic chemotherapy regimens.  His experience as a long-term survivor included open-heart surgery at age 35 to replace his aortic valve and bypass three blocked coronary arteries that were damaged by his teenage cancer therapies.  This life-changing event initiated his research interest in cardiac disease.  His training to become a successful physician scientist and pediatric oncologist has included time spent at some of the most well-respected oncology institutions in the United States including, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the National Cancer Institute, and Johns Hopkins Hospital. 

In the laboratory setting, Dr. Aune has a wide range of experience in the laboratory approaches to investigate tumor biology and experimental therapeutics.  Most recently he has applied this existing knowledge to both the in vitro and in vivo studies of the cardiovascular system from the level of the cardiac fibroblast to global cardiac function.  His laboratory has successfully developed a novel pediatric mouse model of anthracycline-induced cardiac toxicity.  Dr. Aune directs the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute Shared Resource for Cardiac Function Assessment.   He and his laboratory team are experts in the evaluation of cardiac function in mice by echocardiography, including advanced methods of analysis, such as ventricular strain. Collectively, expertise in these areas is supported by recent publications and the receipt of over half a million dollars annually in extramural funding from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Hyundai Corporation, the Pablove Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute on Aging.

Dr. Aune is the director of survivorship research for the South Texas Pediatric Cancer Survivorship program at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas.  In this role, he has established a cohort of long-term survivors of pediatric cancer.  He serves as Co-principal investigator and clinical director of the first investigator-initiated survivorship study in the South Texas region.  This study is assessing the utility of using cardiac MRI to detect subclinical cardiac disease in survivors and is funded by the San Antonio Clinical and Translational Science Award. To date, 32 patients have been enrolled and MRI evaluation is ongoing. His expertise in the clinical arena is further supported by active participation in national task forces focusing on the cardiac effects of chemotherapy and radiation. (National Cancer Institute Community Cardiotoxicity Task Force and the Children’s Oncology Cardiometabolic Task Force).

Finally, Dr. Aune is a national leader in childhood cancer advocacy efforts.  In San Antonio, he has been a leader in local fundraising and awareness efforts.   Since 2010, he has spearheaded efforts by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and For the Kids Dance Marathon at the University of Texas San Antonio that have raised over $1 million for childhood cancer patients and research efforts.  In September 2014, his appointment to the National Cancer Institute Council of Research Advocates (NCRA) was announced by NCI Director Dr. Harold Varmus at a White House briefing on childhood cancer.

http://childhoodcancer-mccaul.house.gov/press-release/caucus-applauds-nci-naming-pediatric-oncologist-its-council-research-advocates

In addition, Dr. Aune is a policy advisor for the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, serves on the Board of Directors of the American Childhood Cancer Organization, is a member of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation National Advocacy Committee, and serves on the scientific advisory board for the Canines-N-Kids foundation.

In May 2015, Dr. Aune addressed the 68th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland and called on the World Health Organization to make childhood cancer a top global health priority.  

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 2010 - Clinical Fellowship - Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology - University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 2008 - Residency - Pediatrics - Johns Hopkins Hospital
  • 2006 - Internship - Pediatrics - Johns Hopkins Hospital
  • 2005 - MD - Medicine - University of Texas at Houston
  • 2005 - PhD - Biomedical Sciences - University of Texas at Houston
  • 1997 - BS - Chemistry (Biochemistry emphasis) (Summa Cum Laude) - Pacific Lutheran University
  • 1997 - BA - Biology (Summa Cum Laude) - Pacific Lutheran University

  Highlights

  Recipient Pediatric Loan Repayment Program, NIH

  KL2 Scholar, IIMS

  St. Baldrick’s Scholar                

  Hyundai Hope Scholar

  Texas Super Doctors, Rising Star

  Best of San Antonio Award (Health and Medical Service)

  Inducted into the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR)

  Appointments

  • 9/2015 - Stephanie Edlund Distinguished Professor in Pediatric Cancer Research - Greehey Children's Cancer Research InstituteSan Antonio
  • 6/2014 - Credentialed Faculty in the UTHSCSA Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences - UTHSCSASan Antonio
  • 11/2010 - Assistant Professor - University of Texas Health Science Center, Pediatrics, San Antonio
  • 9/2019 - Associate Professor of Pediatrics with Tenure - University of Texas Health Science Center, Pediatrics, San Antonio
  • 11/2018 - Greehey Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Survivorship in Children - University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio

• Instruction & Training

  • 7/2017 - 8/2020, CSA6075, UTHSCA
  • 7/2017 - 8/2020, CSA6069, UTHSCSA
  • 12/2015 - Present, High School/Junior High School Student Supervision, UTHSCA
  • 6/2015 - Present, Ph.D. Dissertations Directed, UTHSCSA
  • 4/2015 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, UTHSCSA
  • 3/2015 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 11/2014 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 6/2014 - Present, Ph.D. Dissertations Directed, UTHSCSA
  • 5/2014 - Present, High School/Junior High School Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 11/2013 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 5/2013 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 7/2011 - Present, Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology Fellows Lecture Series, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
  • 5/2011 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 7/2009 - Present, Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology Noon Conference Lecture Series, University of Texas Health Science Center

• Research & Grants

  Animal Models, Pediatric Cancer

  Population Science and Prevention Program

  Aune Lab

  Research profile

  Grants

  Federal

  Funding Agency NIH Title NIH R01 grant HL138093-01 Status Active Period 7/2017 - 6/2021 Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail The goal of this project is to determine whether the degradation of mitochondrial inner membrane protein disrupts the structural interaction between mitofilin and cyclophilin D and determines the extent of ischemia/reperfusion injury.

  Private

  Funding Agency   Title Boerne High School Go Gold Status Active Period 9/2018 - 8/2019 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail Direct donation to the Aune laboratory. Funds used to perform Single Cell RNAseq expiriments on non-myocyte cells isolated from mouse hearts.

  Funding Agency St. Baldrick?s Foundation Title St. Baldrick?s Foundation Scholar Grant Status Active Period 9/2014 - 8/2019 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail Evaluate the long-term cardiac outcomes in mice exposed to liposomal encapsulated doxorubicin

  Funding Agency Turn it Gold Foundation Title Turn it Gold Foundation Status Active Period 7/2017 - 6/2019 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail The overall goal of this project is to facilitate basic laboratory investigations with relevance to childhood cancer late effects. Focus areas have been thrombin-generating potential of plasma isolated clinical populations of survivors and the generation of new transgenic mice strains used to test hypotheses implicating anthraycline-induced damage in cardiac fibroblasts as a contributor to long-term cardiac toxicity.

  Funding Agency San Antonio Medical Foundation Title San Antonio Medical Foundation Status Active Period 7/2018 - 6/2019 Role Co-Principal Investigator Grant Detail This is a collaborative grant with investigators from UTSA and Texas Biomedical Institute focused on Kawasaki disease , which is a common infectious disease of childhood, whose after-effects cause lifelong damage to the heart. Our collaborative project seeks to leverage unique skills and already ongoing work in San Antonio to develop novel biomarkers and potentially avenues for new treatments for this disease. Our approach is to evaluate proteins from the heart tissue of mice affected with this disease, and correlate this to disease activity, functional changes and translate this to human samples.

  Funding Agency Pablove Foundation Title Pablove Foundation Childhood Cancer Research Seed Grant Status Active Period 7/2016 - 6/2018 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail The overall goal of this project is to utilize our novel mouse model of early anthracycline exposure to evaluate the cardiotoxic equivalence of the six most commonly used anthracyclines in clinical populations.

  State

  Funding Agency UTHSA Long School of Medicine Title Clinical Investigator Kickstarter Grant Status Active Period 9/2018 - 8/2019 Role Co-Principal Investigator Grant Detail The goal of this grant is to evaluate plasma from long-term childhood cancer survivors with respect to thrombin-generating potential. With the epidemiological observation that survivors are more prone to thrombotic processes, stroke and myocardial infarction, this study seeks to establish the underlying mechanisms for these clinical observations.

• Publications

  Abstract

  Mark Gorelik, Youngho Lee, Masanori Abe, Thomas Andrews, Jean Patterson, Magali Noval Rivas, Gregory Aune and Moshe Arditi. Anakinra Treatment Prevents Myocardial Mechanical Dysfunction and Inhibits Histologic Evidence of Myocardial Inflammation in the Mouse Model of Kawasaki Disease; 2018 Oct. (Arthritis and Rheumatology).

  Mancilla TR, Aune GJ. Doxorubicin Alters Cardiac Fibroblast Phenotype; 2018 Aug. (Circulation Research).

  Mancilla TR, Aune GJ. Damage Response in Doxorubicin-Exposed Cardiac Fibroblasts; 2018 May. (The FASEB Journal).

  T Andrews, G Aune. Long-Term Cardioprotective Efficacy of Dexrazoxane and Liposomal Doxorubicin Evaluated in a Murine Model of Early Doxorubicin Treatment; 2017 Jan. (Pediatric Blood and Cancer).

  TA Mancilla, GJ Aune. Doxorubicin exposure in vitro stimulates ROS production and directly suppresses cardiac fibroblast proliferation; 2017 Jan. (Journal of Clinical and Translational Sciences).

  S Shah, GJ Aune, L Mette, N Poullard. Successful integration of genetic counseling in a comprehensive childhood cancer survivorship clinic; 2017 Jan. (Journal of Clinical Oncology).

  TL Harris, GJ Aune. Early Doxorubicin Exposure Upregulates P-STAT3 Expression in Adult Murine Model; 2016 Jan. (Circulation Research).

  TL Harris, T Andrews, GJ Aune. Late Effects of Early Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Pediatric Mouse Model; 2016 Jan. (FASEB Journal).

  TA Mancilla, T Andrews, G Aune. Doxorubicin-Induced Chronic Upregulation of Transforming Growth Factor-beta; 2016 Jan. (The FASEB Journal). Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. The Lifelong Health Burden of Successful Childhood Cancer Treatment; 2015 Jan. (Gerontologist).

  Editorial

  Aune, GJ. Star Act is a victory for children with cancer San Antonio Express-News 2018 Jun;.

  Aune, GJ. Childhood Cancer Needs More Attention San Antonio Express-News 2017 Sep;.

  Aune, GJ. Value Isn`t Just About Surviving Cancer Axios 2017 Sep;.

  Aune, GJ. Research Priorities for Childhood Cancer Survivors National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship- Post Election Blog 2016 Dec;. Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Reality Check: We are Nowhere Close to Solving the Problem of Childhood Cancer St. Baldrick's Foundation Advocacy Blog 2016 Jul;.

  Electronic/Web Publication

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Chemotherapy Exposure and EKG Changes: What Do They Mean? 2017 Oct. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/chemotherapy-exposure-ekg-changes-mean/ .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. What is the International Consensus on Screening for Heart Problems in Childhood Cancer Survivors? 2017 Oct. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/international-consensus-screening-heart-problems-ch... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. We Must Consider New Strategies to Deliver Health Care to Childhood Cancer Survivors 2017 Sep. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/must-consider-new-strategies-deliver-health-care-ch... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. The Financial Impact of Surviving Childhood Cancer 2017 Sep. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/financial-impact-surviving-childhood-cancer/ .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Risk Factors for Decreased Bone Mineral Density in Survivors of Childhood Cancer 2017 Aug. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/risk-factors-decreased-bone-mineral-density-survivo... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. From the Lab: Scientists Pinpoint Genetic Changes in Radiation-induced Meningiomas 2017 Aug. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/lab-scientists-pinpoint-genetic-changes-radiation-i... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. New Biomarker Predicts Late Neurocognitive Deficits in Adult Survivors of Childhood Leukemia 2017 Jul. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/new-biomarker-predicts-late-neurocognitive-deficits... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Childhood ALL: Increased Survival Leads to a Greater Emphasis on Preserving Neurocognitive Function 2017 Jul. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/childhood-increased-survival-leads-greater-emphasis... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Aging Survivors and Endocrine Disorders 2017 Jul. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/aging-survivors-endocrine-disorders/ .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Neurocognitive Function, Sleep, and Fatigue in Female Childhood ALL Survivors 2017 Jul. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/neurocognitive-function-sleep-fatigue-female-childh... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Childhood Cancer Survivors: Does chemotherapy alone increase second cancer risk? 2017 Jun. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/childhood-cancer-survivors-chemotherapy-alone-incre... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Decreased Therapy Results in Fewer Second Cancers 2017 Jun. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/decreased-therapy-results-fewer-second-cancers/ .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Mental Distress in Survivors: Highly Prevalent and Undertreated 2017 Jun. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/mental-distress-survivors-highly-prevalent-undertre... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Pregnancy in Female Cancer Survivors: Increased Risks for Mother and Baby 2017 Jun. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/pregnancy-female-cancer-survivors-increased-risks-m... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Chemotherapy More Effective at Causing Programmed Cell Death in Young Tissues 2017 Jun. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/chemotherapy-effective-causing-programmed-cell-deat... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. What Factors are Associated with Hearing Loss in Childhood Cancer Survivors Treated with Platinum Agents? 2017 May. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/factors-associated-hearing-loss-childhood-cancer-su... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Benign Tumors with a Not-so-benign Impact: Meningiomas in Childhood Cancer Survivors 2017 May. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/benign-tumors-not-benign-impact-meningiomas-childho... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. First Live Births Less Common in Cancer Survivors 2017 May. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/first-live-births-less-common-cancer-survivors/ .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Introducing Dr. Gregory Aune, Editor, Knowledge Translation: Childhood Cancer Survivorship 2017 May. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/introducing-dr-gregory-aune-editor-knowledge-transl... .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors at High Risk of Second Cancers 2017 May. Available from: https://cancerkn.com/hodgkin-lymphoma-survivors-high-risk-second-cancers/ .

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. A Defining Moment for Childhood Cancer 2015 May. Available from: https://medium.com/@gregoryjaune/a-defining-moment-for-childhood-cancer-... .

  Journal Article

  Feijen, EA, Leisenring, WM, Stratton, KL, Ness, KK, Van der Pal, HJ, Van Dalen, EC, Armstrong, GT, Aune, GJ, Green, DM, Hudson, MH, Loonen, J, Oeffinger, KC, Robison, LL, Yasui, Y, Kremer, LC, and Chow, EJ. Derivation of anthracycline equivalence to doxorubicin for late- onset cardiotoxicity: mitoxantrone and epirubicin JAMA Oncology 2018 Aug;. Armenian, SH, Armstrong, GT, Aune, GJ, Chow, EJ, Ehrhardt, MJ, Ky, B, Moslehi, J, Mulrooney, DA, Nathan, PC, Ryan, TD, van der Pal, HJ, van Dalen, EC, and Kremer, LC. Cardiovascular disease in survivors of childhood cancer: insights into epidemiology, pathophysiology, and prevention Journal of Clinical Oncology 2018 Jun;.

  Mancilla, TA, Iskra, B, and Aune, GJ. Doxorubicin-induced Cardiomyopathy in Children. Comprehensive Physiology Comprehensive Physiology 2018 May;.

  Wang, F, Iskra, BS, Wang F, Kleinerman, E, Alvarez-Florez, C, Andrews, TA, Shaw, A, Yu, L, Chandra, J, Schadler K, Aune GJ. Aerobic Exercise During Early Murine Doxorubicin Exposure Mitigates Cardiac Toxicity Journal of Pediatric Hematology Oncology 2018 Apr;.

  Aune, MD, PhD, FAAP GJ. Healthcare Delivery for Childhood Cancer Survivors The Lancet 2017 Dec;.

  Lindsey ML, Lange RA, Parsons H, Andrews T, Aune GJ. The Tell-Tale Heart: Molecular and Cellular Responses to Childhood Anthracycline Exposure Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2014 Sep;12.

  Pan H, Qin K, Guo Z, Ma Y, April C, Gao X, Andrews TG, Bokov A, Zhang J, Chen Y, Weintraub ST, Fan JB, Wang D, Hu Y, Aune GJ, Lindsey ML, Li R.Negative elongation factor controls energy homeostasis in cardiomyocytes Cell Rep 2014 Apr;10;7(1):79-85.

  Andrews TG, Lindsey ML, Lange RA, Aune GJ. Cardiac Assessment In Pediatric Mice: Strain Analysis as a Diagnostic Measurement Echocardiography 2014 Mar;31(3):375-384.

• Clinical

  Board Certifications

  • 2011 - American Board of Pediatrics/Hematology-Oncology
  • 2009 - American Board of Pediatrics