Prof. Dr. Manish Kohli | Molecular Diagnostics | Excellence in Research Award
Director at University of Utah-Huntsman Cancer Institute | United States
Dr. Manish Kohli is a distinguished physician-scientist and academician whose career spans over two decades, focusing on transforming cancer care through convergence science and translational oncology. He currently serves as a tenured professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah and holds the Jack and Hazel Robertson Presidential Endowed Chair in Cancer Research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Known for integrating clinical insight with computational approaches, Dr. Kohli leads multi-disciplinary research to develop personalized treatment strategies, particularly in prostate cancer. He is also the Director of the Physician Scientist Training Program, where he mentors emerging physician-researchers in internal medicine.
Profile
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Education
Dr. Kohli received his M.B.B.S. from Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi, followed by a residency in internal medicine at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He completed his hematology and oncology fellowship training at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. To enhance his skills in clinical research and data science, he pursued advanced training through certificate programs at Harvard Medical School, focusing on clinical trials and artificial intelligence in healthcare. His educational foundation reflects a seamless blend of clinical proficiency and data-driven research expertise.
Experience
Dr. Kohli has held academic and clinical leadership roles at several renowned institutions, including Mayo Clinic, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, University of Rochester, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He served as Vice-Chair in the Department of Genitourinary Oncology and Director of Personalized Medicine at Moffitt Cancer Center. At Mayo Clinic, he was Professor of Oncology and a consultant in both medical oncology and urology. His administrative experience includes directing fellowship programs, co-chairing disease-specific working groups, serving on IRBs, and contributing to molecular pathology committees. His current role at the University of Utah includes active involvement in faculty advisory and innovation committees, shaping strategic research and training agendas.
Research interest
Dr. Kohli’s research lies at the intersection of cancer biology, bioengineering, and computational sciences. His major focus is on developing ultra-sensitive liquid biopsy technologies and fusing them with omics-based data to generate predictive biomarkers for therapy selection. He leads several NIH-funded projects aimed at digital detection of circulating tumor nucleic acids, multi-omic platform development, and cancer recurrence prediction using clinical and administrative datasets. His team utilizes machine learning algorithms to support biomarker-guided clinical trial designs and optimize therapeutic decisions. Another vital component of his research involves health economic outcomes to address disparities and costs in oncology care.
Award
Dr. Kohli has received numerous recognitions for his scientific contributions and mentorship. He has twice been honored with the Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Award and was recognized by the “Movember” campaign for outstanding work in prostate cancer. His teaching excellence has been acknowledged by institutions such as Mayo Clinic, and he has received awards from the VA system for clinical service. Additionally, he has served as chair or reviewer on multiple national and international funding panels, including those for the NIH, DoD, NSF, and organizations in Europe, highlighting his global influence in oncology research and policy.
Publication
Dr. Kohli has authored over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles in leading oncology and translational medicine journals. Representative publications include:
Title: 5-hydroxymethylcytosine sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA identifies epigenomic features in prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapies
Year: 2025
Citation: 02
Title: Circulatory prostate cancer proteome landscapes and prognostic biomarkers in metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer
Year: 2025
Title: Multi-gene risk score for prediction of clinical outcomes in treatment-naïve metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer
Year: 2025
Title: Activity of Platinum Chemotherapy in Men With Prostate Cancer With and Without DNA Damage Repair Mutations
Year: 2025
Title: Adverse prognosis gene expression patterns in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
Year: 2025
Citation: 01
Title: Multigene Copy Number Alteration Risk Score Biomarker-Based Enrichment Study Designs in Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Year: 2024
Citation: 01
Conclusion
Dr. Manish Kohli’s career embodies the synergy of clinical excellence, data science, and academic leadership. Through his ongoing work in convergence oncology, he continues to pioneer innovative diagnostics and treatment models that personalize and improve cancer care. His leadership in education, editorial roles, and multi-institutional research reflects a commitment to integrating translational science with real-world impact. With his multidisciplinary approach and focus on health equity, Dr. Kohli remains a transformative figure in advancing the future of precision oncology.