Robert Homer, MD, PhD
Professor of Pathology and of Medicine (Pulmonary)DownloadHi-Res Photo
Cards
Are You a Patient?
View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.
View Doctor ProfileAdditional Titles
Director of Medical Studies, Anatomic Pathology
Contact Info
Are You a Patient?
View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.
View Doctor ProfileAdditional Titles
Director of Medical Studies, Anatomic Pathology
Contact Info
Are You a Patient?
View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.
View Doctor ProfileAdditional Titles
Director of Medical Studies, Anatomic Pathology
Contact Info
About
Copy Link
Titles
Professor of Pathology and of Medicine (Pulmonary)
Director of Medical Studies, Anatomic Pathology
Biography
Historically, my major interests have been in diagnostic and experimental lung pathology. I was lead thoracic pathologist at Yale from 2004 to 2022 and have experience in diagnosing and classifying the full range of histopathology of clinical lung disease. I was also Director of Anatomic Pathology at VA Connecticut HealthCare system (aka the West Haven VA) from 1994 to 2022.
My PhD was on aspects of the murine MHC. My post doctoral fellowship was with Richard Flavell on development of T cell tolerance. Since then, I have helped evaluate various murine models of inflammatory lung disease, ran an NIH funded morphology core for the Yale pulmonary section, and ran a basic laboratory at West Haven VA looking at murine models of pulmonary fibrosis. I now mostly consult on various experimental models of lung disease and work with collaborators analyzing human fibrotic and neoplastic disease.
I am heavily involved in medical school curriculum development as Director of Medical Education for Pathology. I am Co-Director of the pre-clerkship YSM course Attacks and Defenses (covering immunology, infectious disease, microbiology, rheumatology and dermatology). One of my major current interests is exploring use of Large Language Models in medical education.
Last Updated on June 28, 2024.
Appointments
Pathology
ProfessorPrimaryPulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Cancer Signaling Networks
- Cardiovascular Pathology
- Center for Thoracic Cancers
- Creed House Affiliates
- Internal Medicine
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Program
- Occupational & Environmental Lung Diseases Program
- Pathology
- Pathology and Molecular Medicine
- Pathology Research
- Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
- Surgical Pathology
- Thoracic Pathology
- Yale Cancer Center
- Yale Medicine
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Resident
- Yale-New Haven Hospital (1992)
- PhD
- Yale University (1987)
- MD
- Yale University (1987)
Research
Copy Link
Overview
(1) Pathology of neoplastic and inflammatory lung diseases.
2) Miscellaneous interests include autopsy pathology, case reports, and quality assurance issues in pathology.
Medical Research Interests
Acute Lung Injury; Asthma; Education, Medical; Emphysema; Lung; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Lung Neoplasms; Pathology; Pulmonary Fibrosis
ORCID
0000-0002-2055-5885
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Robert Homer's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Robert Homer's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Robert Homer is interested in exploring.
Lauren Cohn, MD
Naftali Kaminski, MD
David Rimm, MD, PhD
Akiko Iwasaki, PhD
Mridu Gulati, MD
Farida Ahangari, MD
243Publications
26,966Citations
Lung
Asthma
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Lung Neoplasms
Lung Diseases, Interstitial
Acute Lung Injury
Publications
2025
Microbiome analysis of 940 lung cancers in never-smokers reveals lack of clinically relevant associations
McElderry J, Zhang T, Zhao W, Hoang P, Anyaso-Samuel S, Sang J, Khandekar A, Hartman C, Colón-Matos F, Miraftab M, Saha M, Lee O, Sharma S, Jones K, Zhu B, Díaz-Gay M, Mas L, Rodriguez O, Edell E, Santamaría J, Schabath M, Yendamuri S, Manczuk M, Lissowska J, Świątkowska B, Mukeria A, Shangina O, Zaridze D, Holcatova I, Janout V, Mates D, Ognjanovic S, Savic M, Kontic M, Bossé Y, Gould Rothberg B, Christiani D, Gaborieau V, Brennan P, Liu G, Hofman P, Wong M, Leung K, Chen C, Hsiung C, Rothman N, Leduc C, Baine M, Travis W, Sholl L, Joubert P, Homer R, Yang S, Lan Q, Nowak M, Wedge D, Alexandrov L, Chanock S, Vogtmann E, Abnet C, Shi J, Landi M. Microbiome analysis of 940 lung cancers in never-smokers reveals lack of clinically relevant associations. Nature Communications 2025 PMID: 41387456, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-66780-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsWhole-genome sequencingRNA-seqMicrobiome associationsRRNA gene sequencesMicrobial readsGene sequencesMicrobiome studiesSpecies levelTissue microbiomeGenetic ancestryMultiple data typesCommensal bacteriaMicrobiome analysisBacterial DNACancer microbiomeMicrobiomeLow biomassGenomic alterationsPaired normal lung tissuesHuman cancersSequenceLung cancerNormal lung tissuesLung tissueGenusUncovering the role of LINE-1 in the evolution of lung adenocarcinoma
Zhang T, Zhao W, Wirth C, Díaz-Gay M, Yin J, Cecati M, Marchegiani F, Hoang P, Leduc C, Baine M, Travis W, Sholl L, Joubert P, Sang J, McElderry J, Antony M, Klein A, Khandekar A, Hartman C, Rosenbaum J, Colón-Matos F, Miraftab M, Saha M, Lee O, Jones K, Caporaso N, Wong M, Leung K, Hsiung C, Chen C, Edell E, Santamaría J, Schabath M, Yendamuri S, Manczuk M, Lissowska J, Świątkowska B, Mukeria A, Shangina O, Zaridze D, Holcatova I, Mates D, Milosavljevic S, Savic M, Bossé Y, Rothberg B, Christiani D, Gaborieau V, Brennan P, Liu G, Hofman P, Homer R, Yang S, Pesatori A, Consonni D, Yang L, Zhu B, Shi J, Brown K, Rothman N, Chanock S, Alexandrov L, Choi J, Cardelli M, Lan Q, Nowak M, Wedge D, Landi M. Uncovering the role of LINE-1 in the evolution of lung adenocarcinoma. Nature 2025, 1-12. PMID: 41372401, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09825-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsLung adenocarcinomaEvolution of lung adenocarcinomaPoor overall survivalCopy-number alterationsTobacco smoke exposureEGFR mutationsNeoantigen burdenOverall survivalHypoxia scoreNever-smokersAggressive phenotypeSubclonal diversificationTreatment planningDeep whole-genome sequencingPromoter demethylationMetastasis propensityTumorSmoke exposureWhole-genome sequencingClonal architectureFemale individualsMutational signaturesShort latencyAdenocarcinomaIndividuals of European ancestryA prognostic signature for lung adenocarcinoma in patients who have never smoked.
Zhao W, Zhang T, Hua X, Hoang P, Miraftab M, Saha M, McElderry J, Sang J, Lee O, Hartman C, Khandekar A, Sharma S, Colón-Matos F, Anyaso-Samuel S, Wang D, Jones K, Hutchinson A, Hicks B, Rosenbaum J, Zhong X, Yang Y, Pesatori A, Consonni D, Christiani D, Leung K, Wong M, Manczuk M, Lissowska J, Świątkowska B, Mukeria A, Shangina O, Zaridze D, Holcatova I, Mates D, Milosavljevic S, Ognjanovic S, Savic M, Kontic M, Gaborieau V, Brennan P, Arrieta O, Bossé Y, Edell E, Schabath M, Hofman P, Mas L, Yendamuri S, Chen C, Chang I, Hsiung C, Liu G, Martinez Santamaría J, Gould Rothberg B, Mutreja K, Lawrence S, Rothman N, Alexandrov L, Leduc C, Baine M, Joubert P, Sholl L, Travis W, Homer R, Lan Q, Chanock S, Yang L, Yang S, Shi J, Landi M. A prognostic signature for lung adenocarcinoma in patients who have never smoked. Cancer Discovery 2025 PMID: 41165571, DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-25-0581.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsDriver gene alterationsLung adenocarcinomaStage I tumorsEpithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markersI tumorsTP53 mutationsTumor stageProlonged survivalAggressive subtypeGene alterationsProliferation markersImmune evasionLow proliferationHistological characteristicsPrognostic signatureHistological dataRNA-seq dataTransition markersTumor cell dynamicsClinical settingSubtypesCell compositionAdenocarcinomaTumorPrognosisIntranasal hemagglutinin protein boosters induce protective mucosal immunity against influenza A viruses in mice
Moriyama M, Rodrigues G, Wang J, Jayewickreme R, Hudak A, Dong H, Homer R, Ma S, Iwasaki A. Intranasal hemagglutinin protein boosters induce protective mucosal immunity against influenza A viruses in mice. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2025, 122: e2422171122. PMID: 40991437, PMCID: PMC12501169, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2422171122.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsInfluenza A virusProtein boosterA virusMucosal immunityHeterologous influenza virusesParenteral influenza vaccinationRespiratory tractLocal mucosal immune responsesImmune memory responseInduce mucosal immunityMucosal immune responsesSystemic antibody responsesMucosal humoral responsesUpper respiratory tractInfluenza vaccineInfluenza virusViral burdenRecombinant hemagglutininVaccine-matchedOld miceMemory responsesHumoral responseImmune responseAntibody responseViral replicationThe mutagenic forces shaping the genomes of lung cancer in never smokers
Díaz-Gay M, Zhang T, Hoang P, Leduc C, Baine M, Travis W, Sholl L, Joubert P, Khandekar A, Zhao W, Steele C, Otlu B, Nandi S, Vangara R, Bergstrom E, Kazachkova M, Pich O, Swanton C, Hsiung C, Chang I, Wong M, Leung K, Sang J, McElderry J, Hartman C, Colón-Matos F, Miraftab M, Saha M, Lee O, Jones K, Gallego-García P, Yang Y, Zhong X, Edell E, Santamaría J, Schabath M, Yendamuri S, Manczuk M, Lissowska J, Świątkowska B, Mukeria A, Shangina O, Zaridze D, Holcatova I, Mates D, Milosavljevic S, Kontic M, Bossé Y, Rothberg B, Christiani D, Gaborieau V, Brennan P, Liu G, Hofman P, Yang L, Nowak M, Shi J, Rothman N, Wedge D, Homer R, Yang S, Pesatori A, Consonni D, Lan Q, Zhu B, Chanock S, Choi J, Alexandrov L, Landi M. The mutagenic forces shaping the genomes of lung cancer in never smokers. Nature 2025, 644: 133-144. PMID: 40604281, PMCID: PMC12667038, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09219-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsExposure to secondhand smokeExposure to second-hand tobacco smokeSecond-hand tobacco smokeHighest prevalenceLung cancerSecondhand smokeTP53 mutationsNever smokersLevels of air pollutionAir pollution levelsTobacco smokeAir pollutionTreatment-naive individualsPrevalence of eGFRSmokersDose-response effectEGFR mutationsSmokingCancer genomesEast AsiaKRAS mutationsDriver mutationsSomatic mutationsAdenocarcinomaCancerPrediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Using Primary Tumor Somatic Mutation Data
Lee V, Moore N, Doyle J, Hicks D, Oh P, Bodofsky S, Hossain S, Patel A, Aneja S, Homer R, Park H. Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Using Primary Tumor Somatic Mutation Data. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics 2025, 9: e2400303. PMID: 40446175, DOI: 10.1200/cci-24-00303.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates machine learning models using tumor genetic data to predict lymph node metastasis in lung cancer, showing improved accuracy over traditional methods and more potential for personalized treatment.APOBEC affects tumor evolution and age at onset of lung cancer in smokers
Zhang T, Sang J, Hoang P, Zhao W, Rosenbaum J, Johnson K, Klimczak L, McElderry J, Klein A, Wirth C, Bergstrom E, Díaz-Gay M, Vangara R, Colon-Matos F, Hutchinson A, Lawrence S, Cole N, Zhu B, Przytycka T, Shi J, Caporaso N, Homer R, Pesatori A, Consonni D, Imielinski M, Chanock S, Wedge D, Gordenin D, Alexandrov L, Harris R, Landi M. APOBEC affects tumor evolution and age at onset of lung cancer in smokers. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 4711. PMID: 40394004, PMCID: PMC12092836, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59923-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLung cancerTumor evolutionMulti-omics profilingLung tumor samplesCell of originProgenitor-like cellsMulti-OmicsMutagenic processesMutational processesOff-target activityTP53 mutationsMutational burdenSignaling pathwayKRAS mutationsMutagenesisAPOBEC mutagenesisSomatic mutationsSolid tumorsTumor samplesClonal expansionDNA damageTumor developmentCell typesMutationsStemness markersSecretory leukocyte protease inhibitor influences periarticular joint inflammation in Borrelia burgdorferi-infected mice
Yu Q, Tang X, Hart T, Homer R, Belperron A, Bockenstedt L, Ring A, Nakamura A, Fikrig E. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor influences periarticular joint inflammation in Borrelia burgdorferi-infected mice. ELife 2025, 14: rp104913. PMID: 40392222, PMCID: PMC12092001, DOI: 10.7554/elife.104913.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSecretory leukocyte protease inhibitorJoint inflammationC57BL/6 miceHigher infection loadTick-borne infectionsWild-type control miceClinical manifestations of infectionDevelopment of Lyme arthritisElevated serum levelsExcessive pro-inflammatory responsesManifestations of infectionProtease inhibitorsPro-inflammatory responseAnkle joint tissueInfection loadPromote tissue repairAnti-inflammatory effectsSerum levelsPeriarticular swellingClinical manifestationsControl miceTibiotarsal jointMMP-8Lyme diseaseIL-6Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor influences periarticular joint inflammation in Borrelia burgdorferi-infected mice
Yu Q, Tang X, Hart T, Homer R, Belperron A, Bockenstedt L, Ring A, Nakamura A, Fikrig E. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor influences periarticular joint inflammation in Borrelia burgdorferi-infected mice. ELife 2025, 14 DOI: 10.7554/elife.104913.4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSecretory leukocyte protease inhibitorSLPI-deficient miceJoint inflammationC57BL/6 miceDeficient miceB. burgdorferiHigher infection loadTick-borne infectionsWild-type control miceDeficient C57BL/6 miceClinical manifestations of infectionDevelopment of Lyme arthritisElevated serum levelsExcessive pro-inflammatory responsesManifestations of infectionProtease inhibitorsPro-inflammatory responseAnkle joint tissueInfection loadPromote tissue repairAnti-inflammatory effectsSerum levelsPeriarticular swellingClinical manifestationsControl miceApplying Single-Cell Spatial Profiling to Assess Niches in Human Fibrotic Silica Lung
Abu Hussein N, Adams T, Anderson S, Kramer M, Nekola F, Homer R, Najjar A, Sharma P, Rangel R, Yang L, Zhang Y, Yan X, Pertzov B, Kaminski N. Applying Single-Cell Spatial Profiling to Assess Niches in Human Fibrotic Silica Lung. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a5093-a5093. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a5093.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Determining Mechanisms of Sensitivity and Resistance to Anti-Cancer Therapy for Advanced Lung Cancer
HIC ID1603017333RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/20/2026Recruiting Participants
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Copy Link
Activities
activity American Journal of Pathology
08/04/2023 - PresentJournal ServiceEditorial Board Memberactivity APC Advocacy committee
08/25/2023 - 08/08/2025Advisory BoardsBoard MemberDetailsAssociation of Pathology ChairsAcademically-focused advocacy objectives in education, practice and research.activity From Bots to Docs, Harnessing AI in the medical education journey
07/10/2023 - 07/12/2023LectureAssociation of Pathology Chairs, Undergraduate Medical Education SectionDetailsChicago, IL, United States
Honors
honor Keynote address
06/24/2009International AwardPulmonary Pathology SocietyDetailsUnited States
Clinical Care
Copy Link
Overview
Robert Homer, MD, PhD, a pathologist, specializes in detecting diseases including cancers in and around the lungs. He is particularly interested in lung diseases leading to fibrosis, including those from exposures to foreign materials. He became interested in pathology as a graduate student—he wanted to know more about the structure and mechanisms of disease.
Dr. Homer is a professor of pathology at Yale School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
Pathology; Thoracic Pathology; Anatomic Pathology
Fact Sheets
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Anatomic Pathology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Pathology
- Original Certification Date
- 1991
Yale Medicine News
Are You a Patient?
View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.
View Doctor ProfileNews & Links
Copy Link
Media
- Eosinophilic response in fibrotic lung disease.
News
- June 21, 2024Source: College of American Pathologists Today
How-well-does-chatgpt-do-on-pathology-questions?
- April 01, 2024
Yale Faculty Present Groundbreaking Clinical Research at the 2024 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions
- August 03, 2023
Lung Adenocarcinomas: New Findings About Resistance to Targeted Therapies
Related Links
Get In Touch
Copy Link
Contacts
Clinical Inquiry Number
Administrative Support
Locations
Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.