Andrew Godwin's Biography

Andrew Godwin, Professor and Division Director, Genomic Diagnostics, Founding Director, Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, Deputy Director, KU Cancer Center, University of Kansas Medical Center

Andrew K. Godwin, PhD, the Chancellors Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences endowed Professor, is a leader in the field of translational research and precision medicine. A native of Lawrence, Kansas, Andy graduated with highest distinction from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in Cellular Biology. He obtained his PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania while carrying out his thesis research at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Andy holds the distinction of being the only graduate student at FCCC to become a senior member (full professor with tenure). While at FCCC he had the pleasure of learning from “giants” in their respective fields of science. He was appointed leader of the FCCC’s Cancer Center Support Grant Ovarian Cancer Program in 2008 and served as co-leader of the Women's Cancer Program from 2009 to 2010. He was also the director of both the Clinical Molecular Genetics/Pathology Laboratory and the Biosample Repository at FCCC since their inception in 1995 and 1999 respectively, until leaving FCCC.

Andy was recruited to KUMC as the Associate Director for Translational Research for the KU Cancer Center in October 2010 after 26 productive years at FCCC and his engaged participation contributions towards NCI designation in 2012/2017 and comprehensive designation in 2022, resulted in him being named the Deputy Director in 2013. He serves the director of Molecular Oncology at the KU Medical Center. In the latter position, he founded the Clinical Molecular Oncology Laboratory, a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited molecular diagnostics laboratory, and heads KU’s institutional efforts in precision medicine. He was appointed the Division Director for Genomic Diagnostic for the KU Health System in 2020. He also founded the Center for Genetics Services and Health Equity, to address health disparities in our region and nationally. Andy holds secondary appointments as a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and the Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, and Immunology. He also leads the ovarian cancer research-working group, is a member of the Investigator Initiated Trial Steering Committee, serves as the Scientific Director for the Biomarker Discovery Laboratory, the Director of the KU Cancer Center’s Biospecimen Shared Resource, and the KU Medical Center’s Biospecimen Repository Core Facility. He was named the Vice Chair for the Breast Translational Medicine subcommittee of the Southwest Oncology Group in 2018 and was appointed to the National Cancer Institute’s NCTN Core Correlative Sciences Committee (NCTN-CCSC) in 2021.

Andy is the founding director of the Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) (P20 GM130423). He was named a Kansas Bioscience Authority Eminent Scholar in 2010 and the University of Kansas School of Medicine Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences Endowed Professor in 2012. In 2014, Andy received the KUMC School of Medicine’s Achievement Award for the mentoring of post-doctorate students. Of his awards, he is most proud of being acknowledged for his years of mentoring. He has mentored over 150 trainees, including high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral associates/fellows, medical students/fellows, visiting scientists, and junior faculty during his academic career.