Steffan Nawrocki, PhD
Co-Program Leader, Clinical and Translational Oncology Program
Professor, College of Medicine
Steffan T. Nawrocki, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Co-Leader of the Clinical and Translational Oncology Program (CTOP) at the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center (UACCC). He also serves as Co-Director of Translational Research, where he helps drive the center’s strategy to advance discovery science into early-phase clinical trials.
Nawrocki is a nationally recognized leader in experimental therapeutics whose work has redefined how protein homeostasis can be exploited for therapeutic gain. He trained at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and completed postdoctoral studies at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, establishing a foundation in mechanistic cancer biology that has translated into a sustained and impactful drug development program. His research has been instrumental in advancing novel therapeutic strategies that target fundamental survival pathways in cancer, including protein degradation, autophagy, and stress-response signaling networks. These efforts have helped establish new paradigms for overcoming drug resistance and have directly informed the clinical development of multiple investigational therapies. More recently, his work has expanded to define emerging targets such as p97/VCP, REDD1, lysosomal vulnerabilities, and oncolytic viral therapy with broad relevance across hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.
Nawrocki leads a highly collaborative and well-funded research program supported by the National Institutes of Health and other major agencies, and he has authored a substantial body of influential publications in cancer biology and translational science. At the UACCC, Nawrocki plays a central role in shaping a high-impact translational research environment that integrates mechanistic discovery with therapeutic development. Through his leadership in CTOP, he helps align multidisciplinary teams to accelerate the progression of promising therapies into investigator-initiated clinical trials, strengthening the center’s position as a leader in experimental therapeutics.
His contributions have been recognized by multiple honors, including the University of Arizona Cancer Center Inaugural Research Prize for Translational Science and the College of Medicine Faculty Excellence Award for Basic and Translational Investigation. Through a sustained focus on innovation, rigor, and clinical relevance, Nawrocki’s work is advancing next-generation therapeutic strategies designed to overcome resistance and improve outcomes for patients with cancer.
Nawrocki is a nationally recognized leader in experimental therapeutics whose work has redefined how protein homeostasis can be exploited for therapeutic gain. He trained at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and completed postdoctoral studies at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, establishing a foundation in mechanistic cancer biology that has translated into a sustained and impactful drug development program. His research has been instrumental in advancing novel therapeutic strategies that target fundamental survival pathways in cancer, including protein degradation, autophagy, and stress-response signaling networks. These efforts have helped establish new paradigms for overcoming drug resistance and have directly informed the clinical development of multiple investigational therapies. More recently, his work has expanded to define emerging targets such as p97/VCP, REDD1, lysosomal vulnerabilities, and oncolytic viral therapy with broad relevance across hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.
Nawrocki leads a highly collaborative and well-funded research program supported by the National Institutes of Health and other major agencies, and he has authored a substantial body of influential publications in cancer biology and translational science. At the UACCC, Nawrocki plays a central role in shaping a high-impact translational research environment that integrates mechanistic discovery with therapeutic development. Through his leadership in CTOP, he helps align multidisciplinary teams to accelerate the progression of promising therapies into investigator-initiated clinical trials, strengthening the center’s position as a leader in experimental therapeutics.
His contributions have been recognized by multiple honors, including the University of Arizona Cancer Center Inaugural Research Prize for Translational Science and the College of Medicine Faculty Excellence Award for Basic and Translational Investigation. Through a sustained focus on innovation, rigor, and clinical relevance, Nawrocki’s work is advancing next-generation therapeutic strategies designed to overcome resistance and improve outcomes for patients with cancer.
Research Program Role
Clinical and Translational Oncology Program
Display NameSteffan Nawrocki, PhD
Display Name
Steffan Nawrocki, PhD