
Jae W. Lee, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
- jwl5@iu.edu
- Address
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Long Hall 237
1110 West Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202 - PubMed:
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Bio
Dr. Jae W. Lee is a pathologist-scientist with expertise in pathology of the digestive system. His research has combined basic science with clinical studies to advance understanding of the biology of cancer development and metastasis and define novel therapeutic targets.
He has investigated (i) mechanisms that direct the metastatic spread of cancer cells to the liver, (ii) genetic alterations in neoplasms that arise in the digestive system, and (iii) mechanisms that regulate immunosurveillance in cancer. He has applied spatial transcriptomics, multiplex immunohistochemistry, imaging mass cytometry (IMC), mass cytometry (CyTOF), and RNA sequencing for his studies and has expertise in these techniques.
In addition to his research experience in cancer biology, he has collaborated investigators who conduct studies on a range of diseases, including pruritic skin rashes and germline mutations in pediatric patients.
Key Publications
Cancer Immunobiology:
Computational Modeling of Cellular Influence Delineates Functionally Relevant and Distinct Cellular Neighborhoods in Primary and Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Immunol Res. 2026 Apr 2;14(4):571-584. PubMed PMID: 41592755. (*)Co-first authors.
Hepatocytes coordinate immune evasion in cancer via release of serum amyloid A proteins. Nat Immunol. 2024 May;25(5):755-763. PubMed PMID: 38641718.
Hepatocytes direct the formation of a pro-metastatic niche in the liver. Nature. 2019 Mar;567(7747):249-252. PubMed PMID: 30842658.
Cancer Genetics and Biomarkers:
Multi-omic profiling of intraductal papillary neoplasms of the pancreas reveals distinct patterns and potential markers of progression. Cancer Cell. 2025 Nov 10;43(11):2156-2170.e6. PubMed PMID: 40882635.
RNA Sequencing Identifies Frequent Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase-associated Fusion Genes in Intraductal Tubulopapillary Neoplasms of the Pancreas. Gastroenterology. 2023 Jun;164(7):1310-1313.e6. PubMed PMID: 36801389.
Cancerization of ducts in hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Virchows Arch. 2022 Aug;481(2):1-10. PubMed PMID: 35527321.
Complete list of publications can be found below:
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fellowship | Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
| 2025 | Residency | Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
| 2020 | MD | University of Pennsylvania |
| 2020 | PhD | University of Pennsylvania |
| 2009 | AB | Princeton University |
Cancer immunobiology and genetics.
Gastrointestinal, pancreatobiliary, and liver pathology.