Susan E. Yost, Ph.D.
- Breast and Ovarian Cancer Chemotherapy and Resistance to Treatment
Staff Scientist, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research
Susan E. Yost, Ph.D., is a staff scientist in the Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research at City of Hope® Cancer Center Duarte. Dr. Yost has over two decades of experience in the field of molecular and cell biology, with a focus on breast cancer genomics. Her research supports advances in cancer care for patients with breast, ovarian cancer and other gynecologic malignancies.
Dr. Yost’s research focuses on cancer chemotherapy and resistance to treatment involving molecular pathways of DNA damage response and altered signaling pathways, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and MAPK signaling. She has coauthored more than 50 peer-reviewed papers in her field and has collaborated on multiple grant-funded research projects with scientists at City of Hope and across the country. As a staff scientist at City of Hope Duarte, Dr. Yost works closely with the breast and gynecologic oncology teams to bridge the gap between clinical trials, therapeutic discovery and clinical care.
Dr. Yost earned her doctorate in molecular and cell biology from the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, and then joined the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control in the United Kingdom where she researched pediatric vaccines. She joined City of Hope in 2015, after holding research positions in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Education & Experience
Degrees
- 1991, Ph.D. Molecular and Cell Biology, Penn State University, PA
- 1986, B.S. Biology, Albright College, Reading, PA
Professional Experience
- 2017, Present, Staff Scientist, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
- 2016-2017, Research Associate II, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
- 2015-2016, Clinical Research Assistant I, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
- 2000-2001, Content Scientist, InGenuity Systems, Inc., Alviso, CA
- 1992-1997, Staff Scientist, Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, United Kingdom
Awards & Memberships
- 1990, Grant-in-Aid of Research Award, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, Pennsylvania State University, PA
- 1989, Procter and Gamble Award, Red Cell Gordon Conference, Pennsylvania State University, PA
Publications
- Kang I, Naghi L, Yost SE, Mortimer J. Clinical Actionability of Molecular Targets in Multi-Ethnic Breast Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Single-Institutional Study. Mol Diagn Ther. 2025 Apr 7. doi: 10.1007/s40291-025-00777-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40192953.
- Senguttuvan RN, Cho H, Wu X, Frankel PH, Ruel N, Yost SE, Kebria M, Han E, Song M, de Leon M, Invernizzi M, Eng M, Tinsley R, Salehian B, Li A, Schmolze D, Chang S, Arias-Stella J, Dellinger TH. The Anti-Cancer Role of Pterostilbene in Endometrial Cancer: A Phase II Prospective, Randomized, Window-of-Opportunity Clinical Trial with Megestrol Acetate. Antioxidants (Basel). 2025 Mar 14;14(3):345. doi: 10.3390/antiox14030345. PMID: 40227411; PMCID: PMC11939256.
- Nakamura B, Senguttuvan R, Ruel NH, Frankel PH, Yost SE, Cole S, Chang S, Jung A, Eng M, Tinsley R, Stewart D, Wang E, Cohen J, Villella J, Whelan RL, Merchea A, DePeralta DK, Cristea M, Wakabayashi MT, Raoof M, Dellinger TH. Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosolized chemotherapy (PIPAC) experience in patients with recurrent low grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC): sub-cohort report of phase 1 clinical trial. Front Oncol. 2024;14:1404936. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1404936. eCollection 2024. PubMed PMID: 39148906; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11324501.
- Wei CH, Sadimin E, Agulnik M, Yost SE, Longacre TA, Fadare O. SMARCA4 / BRG1 -deficient Uterine Neoplasm With Hybrid Adenosarcoma and Carcinoma Features: Expanding the Molecular-morphologic Spectrum of SMARCA4 -driven Gynecologic Malignancies. Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2024 Jul 1;43(4):354-361. doi: 10.1097/PGP.0000000000000996. Epub 2023 Dec 12. PubMed PMID: 38113031; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11166733.
- Yuan Y, Egelston C, Colunga Flores O, Chaurasiya S, Lin D, Chang H, Chong LMO, Seiz A, Shah M, Meisen WH, Tang A, Martinez N, Pickett W, Murga M, Yost SE, Stewart D, Zhang J, Ede N, Modi B, Kessler J, Rand J, Fong Y. CF33-hNIS-anti-PD-L1 oncolytic virus followed by trastuzumab-deruxtecan in a patient with metastatic triple negative breast cancer: a case study. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2023;15:17588359231210675. doi: 10.1177/17588359231210675. eCollection 2023. PubMed PMID: 38028143; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10640805.
- Epstein JB, Hernandez RS, Nakamura R, Yost SE, Ali H. Oral Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease in Post-Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: Case Reports. Case Rep Oncol. 2023 Jan-Dec;16(1):1287-1292. doi: 10.1159/000533821. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec. PubMed PMID: 37928865; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10624449.
- Egelston CA, Guo W, Yost SE, Ge X, Lee JS, Frankel PH, Cui Y, Ruel C, Schmolze D, Murga M, Tang A, Martinez N, Karimi M, Somlo G, Lee PP, Waisman JR, Yuan Y. Immunogenicity and efficacy of pembrolizumab and doxorubicin in a phase I trial for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2023 Sep;72(9):3013-3027. doi: 10.1007/s00262-023-03470-y. Epub 2023 Jun 9. PubMed PMID: 37294342; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10412661.
- Yuan Y, Yost SE, Cui Y, Ruel C, Murga M, Tang A, Martinez N, Schmolze D, Waisman J, Patel N, Vora L, Tumyan L, Bozoghlanian M, Stewart D, Frankel PH. Phase I Trial of Ipatasertib Plus Carboplatin, Carboplatin/Paclitaxel, or Capecitabine and Atezolizumab in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Oncologist. 2023 Jul 5;28(7):e498-e507. doi: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad026. PubMed PMID: 37023705; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10322142.
- Ge X, Behrendt CE, Yost SE, Patel N, Samoa R, Stewart D, Sedrak M, Lavasani S, Waisman J, Yuan Y, Mortimer J. Predicting Hyperglycemia Among Patients Receiving Alpelisib Plus Fulvestrant for Metastatic Breast Cancer. Oncologist. 2023 Jul 5;28(7):e488-e492. doi: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad024. PubMed PMID: 36943382; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10322119.
- Wei CH, Shehayeb S, Santiago NL, Kruper L, Han E, Wang E, Cristea M, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Yost SE, Stewart D. BRCA germline mutations in multiethnic gynecologic patients: A 10-year retrospective analysis from a single cancer institute. PLoS One. 2023;18(6):e0286998. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286998. eCollection 2023. PubMed PMID: 37310942; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10263324.