Juan R Cubillos-Ruiz, PhD

William J. Ledger, M.D., Distinguished Professor for Infection and Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Leader, Cancer Biology (Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center)

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Contact & profiles

Appointments

Professor of Microbiology and Immunology in Obstetrics and GynecologyPrimary
Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2026–
William J. Ledger, M.D., Distinguished Professor for Infection and Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2026–
Associate Professor
Weill Cornell Graduate School — Immunology & Microbial Pathogenesis · 2016–

Past Appointments

William J. Ledger, M.D., Distinguished Associate Professor for Infection and Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2021–2025
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2021–2025
William J. Ledger, M.D., Distinguished Assistant Professor for Infection and Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2018–2021

Show all 6

Assistant Professor of Microbiology & Immunology in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2015–2021
Instructor of Microbiology and Immunology in Medicine
Medicine · 2015–2015
Postdoctoral Associate in Medicine
Medicine · 2012–2014

Centers

Clinical & Translational Science Center
Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Centerresearch
Cancer Biology

Education

Ph.D.
Dartmouth Medical School, 2010
B.S.
University of the Andes (Colombia), 2004

Overview

Our research seeks to understand the molecular and metabolic programs that dictate immune cell function in health and disease. We are interested in defining how molecular pathways that sense organelle stress direct the immune system in cancer, inflammation, autoimmunity, and infectious diseases. We are also developing new forms of immunotherapy for aggressive malignancies like ovarian cancer. Learn more about our research here: https://www.cubillosruizlab.org/

Highlights

1
Nature · 2024
DADeepika Awasthi CSCamilla SalvagnoIMIan McBainLBLionel B Ivashkiv+3 more →JRJuan R Cubillos-Ruiz
PMID: 39443795PMCID: PMC11949091DOISenior author79 citations
2
Cancer discovery · 2024
MSMaria Sierra GarciaCSCamilla SalvagnoPGPaolo GiovanelliMLM. Laura Martin+6 more →JRJuan R Cubillos-Ruiz
PMID: 39073085PMCID: PMC11452292DOISenior author31 citations
3
Cancer discovery · 2022
PGPaolo GiovanelliDADeepika Awasthi CSCamilla Salvagno FJFranck J. Barrat JRJuan R Cubillos-Ruiz
PMID: 35552618PMCID: PMC9357054DOISenior author63 citations

Publications

Funding

38 View NIH portfolio on RePORTER ↗

Active

12 grants

PI
Immuno-Activating Circuits Enabling Durable Control of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
U.S. Department of Defense · 2026–2030
HT9425-26-1-E334
MPI
Molecular Programs Governing Enterococcal Translocation
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 2025–2030
R01AI184474-01A1
Co-I
Agr2 regulates host-microbe responses in Crohn's disease
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2025–2029
R01DK140463-02
Sub-PI
Making cancer cells look like bacteria: Developing antigen-mimicry cancer vaccines
Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust · 2025–2028 · via Yale University
YU 252470-01
Co-I
PICI Grant and Main Collaboration Agreement with Multiple Subprojects
Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy · 2024–2028
PICI 235170-03
PI
Immunometabolic Programs Controlled by ER Stress in Cancer
National Cancer Institute · 2023–2028
R01CA282072-04
PI
Nutrition-Based Programming of Dendritic Cells for Ovarian Cancer Immunotherapy
U.S. Department of Defense · 2025–2028
HT9425-25-1-0361
MPI
ER stress-driven IRE1a-XBP1 signaling in lung cancer
National Cancer Institute · 2023–2028
R01CA271619-01A1
PI
Safeguarding T cell cytoskeletal integrity for improved cancer immunotherapy
American Cancer Society · 2025–2027
YACS-24-1331842-01-YACS
PI
A sUPR driver of T cell metabolic dysfunction in ovarian cancer
U.S. Department of Defense · 2023–2027
HT9425-23-1-0204
PI
Unleashing Peritoneal-Resident Memory T cells to Eliminate Ovarian Cancer
Pershing Square Foundation · 2025–2027
PSF 2519092-02
Sub-PI
Regulation of T cell immune response in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute · 2023–2027 · via University of Miami· 2 renewals
R01HL165725-04

Completed grants (26)

Sub-PI
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Responses in Pain
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2020–2025 · via Wake Forest University Health Sciences
R01NS114653-05
KP
Immunosuppressive Programs Driven by IRE1 signaling in ovarian cancer
National Cancer Institute · 2021–2024Fellowship
F31CA257631-01A1
KP
Decoding ER stress signaling in ovarian cancer-reactive T cells
American Association for Cancer Research · 2022–2024
AACR 22-40-15-HWAN
PI
PERK-Driven Stress Responses Regulate Dendritic Cell Function in Ovarian Cancer
U.S. Department of Defense · 2021–2024
No publications yet
W81XWH2110478
PI
Harnessing Dietary n-3 Fatty Acids to Unleash Protective Immunity Against Ovarian Cancer
U.S. Department of Defense · 2021–2024
No publications yet
W81XWH2110357
PI
The Mark Foundation ASPIRE Phase II Proposal
The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research · 2020–2023
MFCR 203592-03
Co-I
Targeting tumor intrinsic immunosuppressive mechanisms to enhance efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in lung cancer
U.S. Department of Defense · 2019–2022
No publications yet
W81XWH1910286
Sub-PI
IRE1a-XBP1 Signaling as a Driver of Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy
National Cancer Institute · 2020–2022 · via Wake Forest University Health Sciences
R21CA248106-02
PI
Iron chelation therapy for ovarian cancer: reprogramming the tumor microenvironment and the host microbiome to control disease progression.
U.S. Department of Defense · 2020–2022
W81XWH-20-1-0191
MPI
iCONIIC Center on the Physics of Cancer Metabolism
National Cancer Institute · 2019–2021 · via Cornell University - Ithaca
U54CA210184-05
PI
Global Control of Ovarian Cancer Immunity by Aberrant ER Stress Responses
U.S. Department of Defense · 2016–2021
W81XWH-16-1-0438
PI
IRE1α-XBP1 signaling as a mechanism of resistance to immunotherapy in ovarian cancer
American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2020–2021
ASCO 201020-01
PI
Empowering Cancer Vaccines Via Control of ER Stress Sensors
Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance · 2017–2021
PSSCRA 17081112-03
Sub-PI
Resistance to PARP inhibitor plus anti-PD1 therapy driven by ER stress and bioactive lipids in ovarian cancer
Stand Up To Cancer · 2019–2021 · via Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
SU2C-AACR-PS-24
PI
IRE1-XBP1 signaling as a mechanism of resistance to immunotherapy in ovarian cancer
Foundation for Women's Cancer · 2020–2021
FFWC 201777-01
PI
Armored dendritic cells as new therapeutic vaccines for cancer
Daedalus Fund for Innovation (Weill Cornell) · 2018–2021
DFWC 183847-01
KP
Dissecting how ER stress responses shape ovarian cancer immunoenvironments
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance · 2020–2021
OCRA 194668-01
PI
ICONIIC
Cornell University · 2019–2020
CU 205009-01
PI
Targeting SYK-driven ER stress responses to enhance ovarian cancer immunotherapies
Mary Kay Foundation, The · 2018–2020
MKF 21-18
PI
Quentis Therapeutics Research Collaboration Agreement
Quentis Therapeutics · 2017–2020Contract
BP 183320-01
PI
T Cell-Intrinsic Abnormalities Induced by ER Stress in Ovarian Cancer
Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper · 2019–2020
2017-01
PI
Enhancing cancer immunotherapy through pharmacological inhibition of ER stress sensors
The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research · 2018–2019
BP 190890-01
PI
T Cell-Intrinsic Abnormalities Induced by ER Stress in Ovarian Cancer
Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper · 2017–2019Fellowship
2017-01
PI
Phospholipid Messengers as Drivers of Dendritic Cell Dysfunction in Cancer
American Association for Cancer Research · 2016–2019
SU2C-AACR-IRG-03-16
PI
Targeting LPA Sensors in the Tumor Microenvironment to Enhance Ovarian Cancer Immunotherapies
Cancer Research Institute, Inc. · 2016–2018
CRI 180423-02
PI
XBP1 as a New Biomarker of Ovarian Cancer Progression and Therapeutic Outcome
Colleen’s Dream Foundation · 2017–2018
CDF 17070934-02

Clinical research

Active

2 studies

PI
The Immunobiology of Human Ovarian Cancer â Analysis of cellular stress responses induced by malignant ascites (Stress Response with Malignant Ascites)
Weill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
PI
Ovarian Cancer Biorepository
Weill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2024)

Available technologies

1 View full WCM portfolio ↗

Preserving TAGLN2 Function in T-cells to Enhance Immunotherapy against Solid Tumors
Application filedPoC DataPMID 39443795
10981

News mentions

12 View all WCM news ↗

Fall Grants Roundup
September 24, 2026
Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have received major new funding to support collaborative efforts spanning clinical trials, precision medicine and drug target discovery with the potential to improve outcomes for patients with challenging cancers.
Scientists Identify a Molecular Switch to a Painful Side Effect of Chemotherapy
November 20, 2025
Chemotherapy activates a stress sensor in immune cells, triggering inflammation and nerve damage, which may help explain why many cancer patients experience debilitating pain as a side effect, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine and Wake Forest University School of Medicine researchers.
Two WCM Scientists Receive Inaugural Pershing Square Foundation Ovarian Cancer Challenge Grant
May 29, 2025
Dr. Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz and Dr. David Lyden have been named inaugural recipients of the Pershing Square Foundation’s 2025 Ovarian Cancer Challenge Grant.
Virtual Screening Identifies Potential Small Molecule Drugs for Cancer Immunotherapy
November 7, 2024
The process of identifying promising small molecule drug candidates that target cancer checkpoints may become faster and smarter through virtual screening, according to Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.
Discovery Finds How Ovarian Cancer Disables Immune Cells
October 23, 2024
Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have discovered a mechanism that ovarian tumors use to cripple immune cells and impede their attack—blocking the energy supply T cells depend on.

Show 7 more mentions

Preclinical Study Explores Approved Drug for Ovarian Cancer
July 29, 2024
An iron-binding drug that is already approved for treatment of other diseases could provide a novel way to attack ovarian tumors, according to a new study led by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.
Weill Cornell Medicine Community Celebrates Diversity Champions
April 28, 2023
In a celebration of Weill Cornell Medicine’s commitment to fostering inclusivity in academic medicine, the institution on April 25 honored nearly a dozen faculty, students and staff who exemplify excellence in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Scientists Detail Major Mechanism Lung Cancers Use to Evade Immune Attack
January 10, 2023
A protein commonly found at high levels in lung cancer cells controls a major immunosuppressive pathway that allows lung tumors to evade immune attack.
Dean's Symposium on Entrepreneurship and Academic Drug Development Highlights Weill Cornell Medicine’s Expanding Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
November 12, 2021
The fifth annual symposium spotlighted an expanding list of entrepreneurial translation efforts at the institution.
A Beacon of Hope: Dr. Juan Cubillos-Ruiz Aims to Improve Survival Rates for Ovarian Cancer
July 23, 2019
Dr. Juan Cubillos-Ruiz got his first look at ovarian cancer early in his doctoral research, which focused on understanding how the microenvironment of a tumor affects a patient’s immune system.
Discovery of a New Immune Process Could Lead to Better Pain Treatments
July 18, 2019
A molecular pathway known for responding to cellular stress also produces pain-inducing molecules in immune cells, according to a new study by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School and Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Awards and Honors Across Weill Cornell Medicine - February 28, 2019
February 28, 2019
Awards, honors, prizes and achievements for the month of February.

Mentoring

7 All publications with mentees →

External relationships

Ownership

Vescor Therapeutics, LLC

Advisory/Scientific Board Member

Pershing Square Foundation

Professional Services

Cancer Research Institute, Inc. · Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research