Marka R. Crittenden, M.D., Ph.D.

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Marka R. Crittenden, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate member and Michael Kelley Endowed Chair for Cancer Research, Integrated Therapies Laboratory
Director, Translational Radiation Research
Earle A. Chiles Research Institute
Providence Cancer Institute

Radiation oncologist
The Oregon Clinic
Providence Cancer Institute

As a physician scientist trained in both radiation oncology and immunology, Dr. Crittenden has a strong interest in the development of immunotherapies for cancer. Whether in the laboratory or the clinic, patients are her primary focus. As a physician, she endeavors to give her patients the highest in clinical care, and as a scientist she is engaged in research to improve treatments for cancer. She is an active investigator of clinical trials combining immunotherapy with radiation therapy in melanoma and cancers of the head, neck, kidney, brain and pancreas, including multiple investigator-initiated phase I and phase II clinical studies. Together with Associate Member Michael J. Gough, Ph.D., Dr. Crittenden leads the Integrated Therapies Laboratory, which is a collaborative effort combining expertise in surgical, medical and radiation oncology to translate hypotheses from preclinical models into more effective treatments for patients with cancer. Learn more about Dr. Crittenden’s research and clinical practice.

Training

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and chemistry, University of Oregon, 1997 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in immunology, Mayo Graduate School, 2004
  • Doctor of Medicine, Mayo Medical School, 2004
  • Medicine internship, Providence Portland Medical Center, 2004-2005 
  • Residency, Department of Radiation Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, 2005-2009 
  • Chief resident, Department of Radiation Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, 2008-2009 
  • Board-certified in radiation oncology, 2010

Professional Experience

  • Director, Translational Radiation Research, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, 2009-present
  • Associate member, Integrated Therapies Laboratory, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, 2009-present
  • Radiation oncologist, The Oregon Clinic, Providence Cancer Institute, 2009-present
  • American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway resident, laboratory of Dr. Hong-Ming Hu, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, 2006-2008
  • M.D./Ph.D. student, laboratory of Dr. Richard Vile, Mayo Clinic Graduate School and immunology department, 1999-2002
  • NIH Summer Internship Program fellow, laboratory of Dr. Raphael Schiffmann, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 1996

Memberships & Awards

Memberships

  • Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer
  • Radiation Therapy Oncology Group: co-liason, immunotherapy subgroup
  • NRG Oncology: co-chair, immunotherapy subgroup
  • American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology
  • American Society for Clinical Oncology
  • American Society for Gene Therapy
  • American Medical Women’s Association
  • American Medical Association
  • American Chemical Society 
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Golden Key Honor Society

Honors & Awards

  • Fellow, Kuni Foundation, 2011
  • Radiological Society of North America Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award, Oregon Health & Science University, 2008
  • American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway Fellowship, 2006-2008
  • Bonner Scholar, Mayo Graduate School, 1997-2004
  • American Chemical Society Certification, 1997
  • American Institute of Chemistry Outstanding Senior Student, 1997
  • Phi Beta Kappa, University of Oregon, 1997
  • Presidential Scholar, University of Oregon, 1993-1997
  • Howard Hughes Summer Fellowship Award, 1994

Publications

Crittenden MR, Zebertavage L, Kramer G, Bambina S, Friedman D, Troesch V, Blair T, Baird JR, Alice A, Gough MJ. Tumor cure by radiation therapy and checkpoint inhibitors depends on pre-existing immunity. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):7012. PMID: 29725089; PMC5934473. 

Ahmad SS, Crittenden MR, Tran PT, Kluetz PG, Blumenthal GM, Bulbeck H, Baird RD, Williams KJ, Illidge T, Hahn S, Lawrence TS, Spears PA, Walker AJ, Sharma RA. Clinical Development of Novel Drug-Radiotherapy Combinations. Clin Cancer Res. 2018. PMID: 30498095. 

Tormoen GW, Crittenden MR, Gough MJ. Role of the immunosuppressive microenvironment in immunotherapy. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2018;3(4):520-6. PMID: 30370351; PMC6200899.

Alice AF, Kramer G, Bambina S, Baird JR, Bahjat KS, Gough MJ, Crittenden MR. Amplifying IFN-gamma Signaling in Dendritic Cells by CD11c-Specific Loss of SOCS1 Increases Innate Immunity to Infection while Decreasing Adaptive Immunity. J Immunol. 2018;200(1):177-85. PMID: 29150567; PMC5736417. 

Crittenden MR, Baird J, Friedman D, Savage T, Uhde L, Alice A, Cottam B, Young K, Newell P, Nguyen C, Bambina S, Kramer G, Akporiaye E, Malecka A, Jackson A, Gough MJ. Mertk on tumor macrophages is a therapeutic target to prevent tumor recurrence following radiation therapy. Oncotarget. 2016;7(48):78653-66. PMID: 27602953.

Seung SK, Curti BD, Crittenden M, Walker E, Coffey T, Siebert JC, Miller W, Payne R, Glenn L, Bageac A, Urba WJ. Phase 1 study of stereotactic body radiotherapy and interleukin-2--tumor and immunological responses. Sci Transl Med. 2012;4(137):137ra74. PMID: 22674552.

View Dr. Crittenden’s full list of peer-reviewed publications.