Sam Gary, MD, PhD

PGY-1 Resident

Biographical Sketch 

Sam is a neurology resident on the dedicated Research Track. Originally from Rockwood, Pennsylvania, Sam returned to Pittsburgh after completing his MD/PhD Training at University of Alabama at Birmingham. Sam’s primary clinical interest is Neuro-Oncology, and his primary research interests are brain tumor immunotherapy, cancer neuroscience, and diffusion MRI. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring Pittsburgh and traveling with his wife, who is also a UPMC resident, making espresso, biking, hiking, and fishing.  

Education & Training 

  • BS in Biology (summa cum laude), Juniata College 
  • PhD in Neuroscience (summa cum laude), University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)  
  • MD (cum laude), UAB Heersink School of Medicine 
  • Postdoctoral research associate (PI: Gary Kohanbash, PhD), University of Pittsburgh 

Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Education Interests 

Brain tumor biology, oncolytic virotherapy, cancer vaccines, diffusion MRI, single cell -omics, organoids 

Selected Honors & Awards 

  • Medical Student Prize for Excellence, American Academy of Neurology 
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society 
  • Research Supplement to Promote Diversity (3R03NS128449-01S1), National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke 
  • Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, U.S Department of State 
  • Amgen Scholar, Amgen Foundation 
  • STEM Grant, National Science Foundation

Selected Publications 

  1. Kohanbash G, Ryall S, Gary SE, Hoffman LM, Siddaway R, Bendel AE, Gripp KW, Walter AW, Hansford JR, Smith AA, Wang H, Skaugen JM, Tabori U, Hawkins CE, Broniscer. PTPN11-related Noonan syndrome predisposes to multifocal low-grade CNS tumors harboring FGFR1 variants. J Neurooncol. 2026. PMID: 41784910. 
  1. Elgehiny A, Fan AE, Frost M, He J, Gary SE, Osorio DS, Zaky W, Zhou L, Kang KD, Zhang Z, Fueyo J, Gomez-Manzano C, Thompson EM, Bernstock JD, Friedman GK. Clinical and translational progress in oncolytic virotherapy for pediatric CNS tumors. J Neurooncol. 2026. PMID: 41741902 
  1. Jones AB, Tuy K, Hawkins CC, Quinn CH, Saad J, Gary SE, Beierle EA, Ding L, Rochlin KM, Lamb LS, Hjelmeland AB. Temozolomide and the PARP inhibitor niraparib enhance expression of natural killer group 2D ligand ULBP1 and gamma-delta T Cell cytotoxicity in glioblastoma. Cancers. 2024. PMID: 39199623.  
  1. Totsch SK, Ishizuka AS, Kang KD, Gary SE, Rocco A, Fan AE, Zhou L, Valdes PA, Lee, SH, Li J, Peruzzotti-Jametti L, Blitz S, Garliss CM, Johnston JM, Markert JM, Lynn GM, Bernstock JD, Friedman GK. Combination immunotherapy with vaccine and oncolytic HSV virotherapy is time dependent. 2024. Mol Cancer Ther. PMID: 38710101.  
  1. Fisher JL, Wilk EJ, Oza VH, Gary SE, Howton TC, Flanary VL, Clark AD, Hjelmeland AB, Lasseigne BN. Signature reversion of three disease-associated gene signatures prioritizes cancer drug repurposing candidates. 2024. FEBS Open Bio. PMID: 38531616. 
  1. Kang KD, Bernstock JD, Totsch SK, Gary SE, Rocco A, Nan L, Li R, Etminan T, Han X, Beierle EA, Eisemann T, Wechsler-Reya RJ, Bae S, Whitley R, Gillespie GY, Markert JM, Friedman GK. Safety and efficacy of intraventricular immunovirotherapy with oncolytic HSV-1. 2022. Clin Cancer Res. PMID: 36239623. 
  1. Bernstock JD*, Gary SE*, Klinger N, Valdes PA, Essayed WI, Olsen HE, Chagoya G, Elsayed G, Yamashita D, Schuss P, Gessler FA, Peruzzi PP, Bag A, Friedman GK. Standard clinical approaches and emerging modalities for glioblastoma imaging. 2022. Neuro-Oncol Adv. PMID: 35821676. 
  1. Ye ZZ*, Gary SE*, Sun P, Mustafi SM, Glenn GR, Yeh FC, Merisaari, Song C, Yang R, Huang GS, Kao HW, Lin CY, Wu YC, Jensen JH, Song SK. The impact of edema and fiber crossing on diffusion MRI metrics assessed in an ex vivo nerve phantom: multi-tensor model vs. diffusion orientation distribution function. 2020. NMR Biomed. PMID: 33015890. 
  1. Ye ZZ, Price RL, Liu X, Lin J, Yang Q, Sun P, Wu AT, Wang L, Han RH, Song C, Yang R, Gary SE, Mao DD, Wallendorf M, Campian JL, Li JS, Dahiya S, Kim AH, Song SK. Diffusion histology imaging combining diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) and machine learning improves detection and classification of glioblastoma pathology. 2020. Clin Cancer Res. PMID: 32694155. 
  1. Spees WM, Lin TH, Sun P, Song C, George A, Gary SE, Yang HC, Song SK. MRI-based assessment of function and dysfunction in myelinated axons. 2018. Proc Natl Acad Sci. PMID: 30297414. 

Full list of publications: 

Selected Presentations 

  1. Gary SE, Laufer VM, Harsh Y, Kang KD, Saad J, Tuy K, Nan L, Totsch SK, Ndocaj J, Gillespie GY, Bernstock JD, Markert JM, Hjelmeland AB, Friedman GK. Acquired resistance to temozolomide enhances oncolytic HSV efficacy. 2025. SEMSS: Birmingham, AL. Oral. 
  1. Gary SE, Laufer VM, Tuy K, Kang KD, Oliva C, Griguer C, Hjelmeland AB, Friedman GK. Towards improved oncolytic virotherapy: novel role for COX4I1. 2023. Pediatrics Research Seminar, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. Oral. 
  1. Gary SE, Laufer VM, Tuy K, Kang KD, Oliva C, Griguer C, Hjelmeland AB, Friedman GK. COX4I1 mediates oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 efficacy in high-grade glioma. 2023. UAB CDIB Retreat: Guntersville, AL. Awarded 3rd Place Presentation. Oral.  
  1. Gary S, Laufer VM, Tuy K, Kang KD, Oliva C, Griguer C, Hjelmeland AB, Friedman GK. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 1 mediates oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 efficacy in high-grade glioma. 2023. Society for Neuro-Oncology Annual Meeting: Vancouver, Canada. Poster.  
Gary, Sam
Contact Sam Gary, MD, PhD