# Kenneth W. Kinzler

Source: https://onco.cc/people/kenneth-kinzler/  
OnCo record `kenneth-kinzler` (Person). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Co-discovered APC, the gatekeeper gene of colorectal cancer, and co-led the first cancer genome sequences.

## Summary

Kenneth W. Kinzler is Professor of Oncology and Co-Director of the Ludwig Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is known for co-discovering APC, the gatekeeper gene of colorectal cancer, and for co-leading the first cancer genome sequences with his long-time partner Bert Vogelstein. His selected paper reports the identification of familial adenomatous polyposis locus genes from chromosome 5q21. He also developed the digital PCR and Safe-SeqS methods behind liquid biopsy, and continues to work on APC and Wnt signalling and genome sequencing.

## Fields

- Kind: Person
- Last checked: 2026-09-08
- Role: Professor of Oncology; Co-Director, Ludwig Center
- Specialisms: Cancer genetics; APC and Wnt signalling; Genome sequencing

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_W._Kinzler
- Ludwig Center: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel-cancer-center/research/ludwig-center
- PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Kinzler%20KW%5BAuthor%5D

## Connected records

- cancers: [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/)
- technologies: [Liquid biopsy (ctDNA)](https://onco.cc/technologies/liquid-biopsy/)
- institutions: [Johns Hopkins Hospital / Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center](https://onco.cc/institutions/johns-hopkins/), [Lustgarten Foundation](https://onco.cc/institutions/lustgarten-foundation/)
- pathways: [Wnt / β-catenin](https://onco.cc/pathways/wnt/)
- key papers: [Cancer genome landscapes: about 140 driver genes, and each tumour needs only a handful](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-vogelstein-cancer-genome-landscapes-science-2013/), [Circulating tumor DNA analysis detects minimal residual disease and predicts recurrence in patients with stage II colon cancer](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-tie-ctdna-minimal-residual-disease-stage-ii-colon-sci-transl-med-2016/), [Core signaling pathways in human pancreatic cancers revealed by global genomic analyses](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-jones-pancreatic-core-pathways-science-2008/), [DETECT-A: a blood test plus PET-CT found treatable cancers in 10,000 women with no symptoms](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-detect-a-science-2020/), [Detection and localization of surgically resectable cancers with a multi-analyte blood test](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-cohen-cancerseek-multi-analyte-blood-test-science-2018/), [Distant metastasis occurs late during the genetic evolution of pancreatic cancer](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-yachida-metastasis-late-genetic-evolution-pancreatic-nature-2010/), [DYNAMIC: a blood test safely halved chemotherapy use after surgery for stage II colon cancer](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-dynamic-nejm-2022/), [Genetic alterations during colorectal-tumor development](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-vogelstein-genetic-alterations-colorectal-tumor-development-nejm-1988/), [Genetic instability in colorectal cancers](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-lengauer-genetic-instability-colorectal-nature-1997/), [Inactivation of the type II TGF-beta receptor in colon cancer cells with microsatellite instability](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-markowitz-tgfbr2-inactivation-msi-colon-science-1995/), [Incidence and functional consequences of hMLH1 promoter hypermethylation in colorectal carcinoma](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-herman-mlh1-promoter-hypermethylation-colorectal-pnas-1998/), [Le 2015: PD-1 blockade works in tumours with mismatch-repair deficiency, whatever the organ](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-le-mmr-deficiency-pd1-nejm-2015/), [The molecular evolution of acquired resistance to targeted EGFR blockade in colorectal cancers](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-diaz-molecular-evolution-egfr-resistance-colorectal-nature-2012/), [Whole-exome sequencing of neoplastic cysts of the pancreas reveals recurrent mutations in components of ubiquitin-dependent pathways](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-wu-pancreatic-cyst-exomes-rnf43-pnas-2011/)
- terms: [Driver and passenger mutations: the refined somatic mutation theory](https://onco.cc/terms/driver-passenger-model/), [Somatic mutation theory of cancer](https://onco.cc/terms/somatic-mutation-theory/)

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