Faculty and Staff — North Campus
Jared Burks, Ph.D.
Professor
Associate Director of Shared Resources CCSG
Director of Flow Cytometry & Cell Imaging Core Facility
Primary Contact
JBurks@MDAnderson.org
B8.4512A
713-792-6592
Burks' scientific journey began as a research assistant in Dr. Max D. Summers' laboratory at Texas A&M University, where he first became fascinated with protein trafficking and confocal imaging. During his doctoral training, he developed a keen technical skill set, ultimately identifying importin-alpha-16, a critical shuttling protein involved in nuclear membrane protein transport. This early work demonstrated his ability to leverage advanced imaging techniques to uncover fundamental cellular mechanisms.
After completing his postdoctoral research at Baylor College of Medicine, where he refined his collaborative skills and problem-solving approaches, Burks joined MD Anderson Cancer Center. Over the past 14 years, he has transformed from a core facility researcher to a professor and associate director of shared resources for the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) and founded the Innovation Nexus to drive technological advancement in cancer research.
Research Expertise
Recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a Research Specialist in Spatial Biology, Burks has introduced revolutionary technologies impacting research. His current research focuses on developing comprehensive data integration methods to understand cellular communications within tumors. By synthesizing spatial metabolomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and microbiome data in 3D spatial contexts, he aims to unravel complex functional interactions in unique cellular microenvironments.
Key Achievements and Impact
- Secured $5 million in novel technology partnerships
- Established cutting-edge imaging systems like Lunaphore Comet
- Introduced STOmics spatial transcriptomics
- Received prestigious NCI R50 Research Specialist Award
- Successfully contributed to a funded transformative U01 HTAN grant
As a Key Opinion Leader, Burks consistently bridges technological innovation with scientific discovery. His expertise lies in identifying, adapting, and leveraging emerging technologies to address critical research questions, driving collaborative innovations in cancer research and molecular biology.
Burks' approach combines technical precision, collaborative spirit and a relentless pursuit of understanding cellular complexity, ultimately advancing our comprehension of cancer biology and potential therapeutic strategies.
Joan Hoover-Zuniga
Administrative Support
JEZuniga@MDAnderson.org
Anna Casasent, Ph.D.
Senior Data Scientist
AKCasasent@MDAnderson.org
Sungnam Cho
Senior Research Histology Technician
SCho1@MDAnderson.org
Xuehong Gui
Research Assistant II
XGui@MDAnderson.org
Angelique Lin
Coordinator, Flow Cytometry Lab
AJLin1@MDAnderson.org
Duncan Mak
Supervisor, Laboratory & Research (Mass Cytometry)
DHMak@MDAnderson.org
Christopher Pacheco
Research Assistant II
CDPacheco@MDAnderson.org
Danielle Stolley, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
DStolley@MDAnderson.org
Bruno Rodrigues, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Flow Cytometry Lab
BMRodrigues@MDAnderson.org
Nicole Vaughn
Coordinator, Flow Cytometry Lab
NRVaughn@MDAnderson.org