Steven Libutti

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Steven K. Libutti, M.D., FACS

Dr. Steven K. Libutti (born April 18, 1964) is an american surgeon and scientist. His work on the study of tumor angiogenesis and the tumor microenvironment has led to novel approaches for the treatment of cancer. He is also one of the pioneers of regional and targeted cancer therapy. He is the Chief of the Tumor Angiogenesis Section within the Surgery Branch (headed by Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg) of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Libutti is a Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

Biography

Dr. Libutti grew up in Long Beach, New York and is the eldest child of Dennis and Phyllis Libutti. Dr. Libutti attended Long Beach High School and graduated in 1982. He then attended Harvard College and received his A.B. from Harvard University in 1986. Following college he attended the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons where he graduated Alpha Omega Alpha and received his M.D. in 1990. In 1990, he married Mary Douros (a physical therapist) the eldest child of Michael and Helen Douros. Dr. Libutti completed his surgical residency at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York in 1995 and was selected to serve as the Chief Resident from 1994-1995. Following residency, he moved to the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland and in 1996, he completed a fellowship in surgical oncology and endocrine surgery in the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute. He then joined the staff of the Surgery Branch in 1996 and is currently a tenured senior investigator and the section chief of the Tumor Angiogenesis Section. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, and the Society of University Surgeons. He is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. In 2007, Dr. Libutti was promoted to Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Libutti and his wife Mary have 3 children. His sister, Eileen Libutti [[1]], is an accomplished attorney in New York.

Research

Tumor Angiogenesis and Studies of the Tumor Microenvironment

Dr. Libutti is studying tumor neovascular formation and the interaction between tumor cells, endothelial cells and the components of the tumor microenvironment. In 2006, he was placed in charge of a new Section within the Surgery Branch, focused on tumor angiogenesis and microenvironment. The goal of the Tumor Angiogenesis Section, under Dr. Libutti's leadership, is to develop novel cancer therapies through a better understanding of the tumor microenvironment. The interaction of a tumor and its vasculature is critical for both tumor growth and the spread of tumor cells to distant organs. The process of new vessel development within the tumor is termed angiogenesis and is required for tumors to grow larger than a few millimeters. In order to better understand the relationship between the tumor and its blood supply, their research is focused on the interaction between tumor-derived factors and endothelial cells developing in the context of the tumor microenvironment. By understanding this interaction they hope to be able to design novel treatment strategies to inhibit both the growth and the spread of tumors. They are currently studying a variety of tumor-derived factors with effects on tumor-associated vasculature. These include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial cell monocyte-activating polypeptide II (EMAP-II). EMAP-II is a cytokine with potent effects on blood vessels and was discovered by a research team (including Dr. Libutti) at Columbia University. Cytokines such as VEGF and EMAP-II appear to be produced in varying amounts by tumors and have direct effects on the tumor neovasculature. Dr. Libutti's approach to the study of these interactions has been through the utilization of a variety of in vitro and in vivo model systems. His team is using gene expression profiling to understand the changes that occur in endothelial cells exposed to tumor-derived factors. His laboratory is developing techniques, which allow them to isolate endothelial cells from tumor tissue. This has resulted in their ability to study tumor-derived endothelial cells directly, and has led to the observation that tumor associated endothelial cells have epigenetic changes compared to normal endothelial cells from the same tissue type. This approach has also allowed them to identify specific genes such as FILIP1L (formerly DOC1), which appear to play a role in the control of endothelial cell responses to angiogenesis inhibitors. They are also using noninvasive imaging techniques, including dynamic MRI and PET, to map changes in tumor blood flow within tumors both in animal models and in patients on clinical trials. A variety of inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis are being actively studied. These include both recombinant proteins derived from naturally occurring substances as well as small molecules designed to act on specific pathways. Various methods of delivering these agents, including gene therapy approaches and the use of tumor targeted nanoparticles are being pursued. Dr. Libutti was the first to administer TNF bound colloidal gold nanoparticles as targeted therapy to cancer patients. The overall goal of Dr. Libutti's work is to translate a better understanding of tumor cell-endothelial cell interactions, within the context of the tumor microenvironment, into better therapies for patients with cancer.

In addition to his laboratory and research interests, Dr. Libutti is an accomplished clinical surgeon. His clinical expertise is in the management of malignancies of the liver, pancreas, and GI tract, and in applying laparoscopic surgery to managing patients with malignancies. In addition, Dr. Libutti is an internationally recognized expert in endocrine surgery and provides surgical consultation and treatment for patients with disorders of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, and for endocrine tumors arising in the pancreas.

Honors

Dr. Libutti has received numerous awards and honors related to his work including the:

• NCI Technology Transfer Award
• NCI Director's Gold Star Award
• NCI Director's Innovation Award
• NIH Director's Award

In addition he has been voted one of the top cancer doctors in the United States by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.

Uniformed Service

In June 1995, Dr. Libutti was commissioned a Lieutenant (O-3) in the Reserve Corps of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and called to extended active duty. LT Libutti was assigned as a Clinical Associate in the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. In January 1996, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and in July 1996, became a Clinical Investigator. He served in this capacity until July 1999, when he was promoted to Commander and Senior Clinical Investigator. In January 2000, CDR Libutti completed his tour of active duty and inactivated, retaining his commission in the Inactive Reserve Corps. In September 2005, CDR Libutti was recalled to active duty and deployed to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in support of hurricane relief efforts for hurricane Katrina. He was assigned as the Incident Commander for the LSU Field House SNS (formerly the PMAC field hospital). At the completion of this short tour, he once again inactivated. He was recalled again to a short tour of active duty in August 2006, and was promoted to Captain (O-6). In January 2007, CAPT Libutti was recalled to an intermittent short tour of active duty in support of an Army backfill request and detailed to the Department of Defense in the Department of Surgery of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In July 2007, CAPT Libutti was elected to the Board of Directors of the Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS and named a Trustee of the Commissioned Officers Foundation of the USPHS. CAPT Libutti is also a member of the Reserve Officers Association, the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States and the Military Officers Association of America.

Uniformed Service Awards

• USPHS Commendation Medal
• USPHS Outstanding Unit Citation
• USPHS Crisis Response Service Award
• USPHS Bicentennial Unit Commendation
• National Defense Service Medal
• USPHS Commissioned Corps Training Ribbon

References

http://ccr.cancer.gov/staff/staff.asp?profileid=5759 Material from this Website has been used in this article. This is a US Government website and as such, its contents are in the Public Domain and cannot be copyrighted.

http://bethesdatrials.cancer.gov/investigator-profiles/libutti/default.asp Material from this Website has been used in this article. This is a US Government website and as such, its contents are in the Public Domain and cannot be copyrighted.

J Biol Chem. 1994 Oct 7;269(40):25106-19. Characterization of a novel tumor-derived cytokine. Endothelial-monocyte activating polypeptide II. Kao J, Houck K, Fan Y, Haehnel I, Libutti SK, Kayton ML, Grikscheit T, Chabot J, Nowygrod R, Greenberg S, et al.

Microvasc Res. 2000 Jul;60(1):70-80. Endothelial monocyte activating polypeptide II induces endothelial cell apoptosis and may inhibit tumor angiogenesis. Berger AC, Alexander HR, Tang G, Wu PS, Hewitt SM, Turner E, Kruger E, Figg WD, Grove A, Kohn E, Stern D, Libutti SK.

Cytokine. 2005 Jun 21;30(6):347-58. Epub 2005 Apr 7. Endothelial monocyte activating polypeptide-II induced gene expression changes in endothelial cells. Tandle AT, Mazzanti C, Alexander HR, Roberts DD, Libutti SK.

http://www.coausphs.org

http://www.phscof.org

COA Frontline, Vol. 44, Issue 3, April 2007.

The Officer, Volume LXXXIII, No. 3, March/April 2007.