Dr. Anil Shanker is an internationally recognized leader in health sciences research, interdisciplinary education, and institutional transformation. As Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at Meharry Medical College, he spearheads transformative initiatives integrating research with real-world impact. A tenured Professor of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience and Pharmacology, he is a mentor and catalyst for the next generation of scientific leaders. A pioneer in cancer immunology, his groundbreaking research on thymic development of tumor antigen-specific T cells and the interplay between CD8 T and natural killer cells in solid tumors laid the foundation for cancer immunotherapy advancements.
Under his leadership, Meharry has launched landmark initiatives to propel innovative research & workforce development. These include: NIH AIM-AHEAD Southeast Hub to expand AI/ML capabilities to transform health outcomes; NHGRI Center for Genome Research; NSF Innovation-Corps Mid-South Hub; Just Project funded by Thermo Fisher and the Gates Foundation; Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to Accelerate Precision Health; Dry January USA; and the Beacon of Hope program supported by Novartis and Sanofi. He also co-developed Together for CHANGE (T4C)—an initiative with Regeneron, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk and Roche to build a reference genome and STEM pathways for African ancestry populations. These efforts have expanded Meharry’s research portfolio by 280% in under five years, earning recognition from the United Nations Academic Impact as a global leader in fostering systemic change for advancing health and reducing inequalities through strategic public-private alliances.
Dr. Shanker serves on the Board of Directors of the Diaspora Human Genomics Institute, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Health Sciences Policy Board, and the GRAND Steering Committee of the Association of American Medical Colleges. His distinctions include being an Overseas Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (UK), a Fellow of the International Union Against Cancer and a Champion of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer.
Committed to nurturing talent and advancing healthcare, Dr. Shanker has mentored over 200 emerging scientists and enhanced curricula to empower future biomedical leaders. Through strategic collaborations, AI/ML competitiveness, and scientific approaches, he drives initiatives to bridge science and society. His visionary leadership continues to shape the future of science and education, driving systemic transformation on a global scale.
