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Benjamin L. Ebert

Discovered how lenalidomide works, launching the field of molecular-glue degraders, and defined clonal haematopoiesis before leading Dana-Farber.

Haematologist-scientist whose laboratory showed lenalidomide induces degradation of IKZF1/3 and CK1α via cereblon, and defined clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). President and CEO of Dana-Farber since 2024; Sjöberg Prize 2024.

Role
President and Chief Executive Officer
Specialisms
Myeloid malignanciesClonal haematopoiesisMolecular glue degradersLenalidomide mechanism

Papers

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TitleJournalYear
Clonal hematopoiesis and blood-cancer risk inferred from blood DNA sequenceNew England Journal of Medicine2014
Lenalidomide causes selective degradation of IKZF1 and IKZF3 in multiple myeloma cellsScience2014

Key papers

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observationalNew England Journal of Medicine 2014
Jaiswal: clonal haematopoiesis, the pre-leukaemic clones in most people over 70

Many older people carry blood clones one or two steps from leukaemia, and those clones also drive heart disease through inflammation. CHIP is why blood-based cancer tests must filter out mutations from blood cells, and it opens a route to preventing both leukaemia and cardiovascular events in carriers.

Connected

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cancers

2
Acute myeloid leukaemiaMultiple myeloma

technologies

1
PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation)

drugs

1
ApprovedImmunomodulatory drug (cereblon E3 ligase modulator)
Lenalidomide · Revlimid

institutions

3
American Society of HematologyDana-Farber Brigham Cancer CenterHoward Hughes Medical Institute

key papers

1
Jaiswal: clonal haematopoiesis, the pre-leukaemic clones in most people over 70