Robert Clarke

About

Robert Clarke, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Hormel Institute and a Professor affiliated with the Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics at the University of Minnesota. His research involves collecting multiplatform data, including genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data from human breast cancer cell lines, animal models, and patients. He analyzes these data using machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to build predictive models of drug resistance, which are then validated mechanistically in experimental in vitro and in vivo models. Dr. Clarke's research is focused on mechanistic translational and transdisciplinary studies in breast cancer, with an emphasis on endocrine responsiveness and drug resistance. His laboratory applies a systems biology approach, utilizing state-of-the-art ‘omics’ technologies, bioinformatics, cellular, and molecular biological techniques to study cell cultures, animal models, and human clinical specimens. His work has involved extensive collaboration with computer scientists and engineers, enabling advanced computational analysis of complex biological data.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Computational biology
• Genetics
• Biology
• Cell biology
• Internal medicine
• Pathology
• Bioinformatics
• Medicine
• Physics

Selected publications

• Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)¹

  Autophagy · 2021 · 2557 citations

  autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.

  DOI

• Radiogenomic signatures reveal multiscale intratumour heterogeneity associated with biological functions and survival in breast cancer

  Nature Communications · 2020 · 123 citations

  Advanced tumours are often heterogeneous, consisting of subclones with various genetic alterations and functional roles. The precise molecular features that characterize the contributions of multiscale intratumour heterogeneity to malignant progression, metastasis, and poor survival are largely unknown. Here, we address these challenges in breast cancer by defining the landscape of heterogeneous tumour subclones and their biological functions using radiogenomic signatures. Molecular heterogeneit…

  DOI

• Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibitors for Treatment of Hormone Receptor–Positive, ERBB2-Negative Breast Cancer

  JAMA Oncology · 2023-06-29 · 53 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Importance: Combination therapy with cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i: palbociclib, ribociclib, abemaciclib) and endocrine therapy (ET) has been a major advance for the treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR+), ERBB2 (formerly HER2)-negative (ERBB2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Observations: Randomized phase 3 studies demonstrated that the addition of CDK4/6i reduced the hazard risk of disease progression by approximately half compared with hormonal monotherapy (…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Determination of jet calibration and energy resolution in proton–proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s} = 8~\hbox {TeV}$$ using the ATLAS detector

  The European Physical Journal C · 2020 · 31 citations

  Abstract The jet energy scale, jet energy resolution, and their systematic uncertainties are measured for jets reconstructed with the ATLAS detector in 2012 using proton–proton data produced at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with an integrated luminosity of $$20 \, \hbox {fb}^{-1}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>20</mml:mn> <mml:mspace/> <mml:msup> <mml:mtext>fb</mml:mtext> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>-</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> <…

  DOI

• Pyruvate kinase M2 activation reprograms mitochondria in CD8 T cells, enhancing effector functions and efficacy of anti-PD1 therapy

  Cell Metabolism · 2025-04-08 · 29 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant U01CA184902

  NIH · $2.7M · 2021

• NIH Grant R55CA051782

  NIH · $100k · 1993

• Cancer Host Interactions Program

  NIH · $38.7M · 1997–2029

Frequent coauthors

• Jianhua Xuan

  279 shared

• Leena Hilakivi‐Clarke

  272 shared

• Ayesha N. Shajahan‐Haq

  Georgetown University Medical Center

  228 shared

• Alan Zwart

  MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

  207 shared

• Katherine L. Cook

  Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

  187 shared

• Rebecca B. Riggins

  183 shared

• Yue Wang

  Alibaba Group (China)

  181 shared

• Anni Wärri

  University of Turku

  172 shared

Education

• D.Sc., Biochemistry

  Queen's University Belfast

  1999

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Medical Breast Cancer Section

  National Cancer Institute

  1988

• Ph.D., Biochemistry

  Queen's University Belfast

  1986

• M.Sc., Biochemistry

  Queen's University Belfast

  1982

• B.Sc., Biological Sciences

  University of Ulster at Jordanstown

  1979

Awards & honors

• Dr. James E. Rubin Medical Memorial Award
• Graduating Medical Student Research Award
• Veneziale-Steer Award
• Dr. Marvin and Hadassah Bacaner Research Awards
• Schmidt Steer Award

Similar researchers at University of Minnesota

• Paul Robbinsh-126
• Yue Chenh-83
• Michael Freemanh-77