2025 CSBC Annual Meeting

Charles W. M. Roberts, MD, PhD, is a leader in the field of cancer epigenetics, and his research has provided new insights into the central role of chromatin remodeling perturbations in cancer, discoveries that have been translated into investigational therapies for both pediatric and adult cancer patients.  His research specifically focuses on the SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling complex.  Perturbation of this complex has broad relevance to cancer as at least nine genes that encode SWI/SNF subunits are collectively mutated in over 20% of all cancers, including breast cancer.  Roberts’ laboratory studies both the mechanisms by which SWI/SNF normally regulates chromatin structure and cell fate, and the mechanisms by which mutation of the complex drives cancer formation.  Roberts is the director of the St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center and also serves as an executive vice president and a full member in the Department of Oncology of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  Roberts received his medical and doctoral degrees from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed his pediatric residency and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  Roberts has been elected to the Society for Pediatric Research, American Society of Clinical Investigation, American Association of Physicians, and American Pediatric Society.