Education

Ph.D.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1982

Background

Dr. Igor B. Roninson is professor emeritus in the Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, having retired in 2026. He joined the college in 2011 as the SmartState Endowed Chair in Translational Cancer Therapeutics and served as founding director of the COBRE Center for Targeted Therapeutics, where he led interdisciplinary research efforts in targeted therapeutics and mentored a generation of scientists.

An internationally recognized cancer researcher, Dr. Roninson is known for his work on multidrug resistance, chemotherapy‑induced senescence in tumor cells and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Under his leadership, the Center for Targeted Therapeutics established core research facilities that supported drug discovery and functional genomics and played a vital role in responding to statewide needs during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Dr. Roninson’s research has focused on molecular mechanisms that regulate cancer progression and response to therapy, including studies on CDK8 and CDK19 Mediator kinases and their role in transcriptional control. His work has contributed to the discovery of small‑molecule inhibitors with potential clinical relevance in cancer and aging‑associated diseases.

Throughout his career, Dr. Roninson has been acknowledged for his scientific leadership and recognized among the world’s top‑cited researchers in his field. He received the USC Breakthrough Leadership in Research Award in 2016 and the USC Educational Foundation Research Award for Health Sciences in 2024. His research has consistently bridged basic science and translational applications, contributing to new strategies to improve cancer treatment and patient outcomes.

---