Masato Yamamoto MD, PhD

Dr. Masato Yamamoto is a physician-scientist and internationally recognized expert in cancer gene therapy and virotherapy. He serves as Chief of Basic and Translational Research and Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where he leads research focused on the development of advanced adenovirus-based therapies for solid tumors, including pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers.

Dr. Yamamoto’s work centers on engineering targeted oncolytic adenoviruses and gene delivery systems designed to selectively infect and destroy cancer cells while improving therapeutic precision and clinical translation. His laboratory has pioneered innovations in adenovirus vector engineering, tumor-targeted delivery, molecular imaging, and viro-immunotherapy approaches for difficult-to-treat cancers.

Before joining the University of Minnesota in 2006, Dr. Yamamoto trained and practiced in Japan as a board-certified gastroenterologist and later held faculty appointments at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He earned both his M.D. and Ph.D. from Osaka University School of Medicine. In addition to his research leadership, Dr. Yamamoto is actively involved in mentoring and translational cancer research initiatives through the Masonic Cancer Center, where he serves as Co-Leader of the Genetic Mechanisms Program. His work continues to advance the development of clinically applicable virotherapy strategies aimed at improving outcomes for patients with aggressive cancers.