John Bertino

For over fifty years, John Bertino has dedicated his expertise to building the foundations of modern cancer research. Motivated by the loss of his young nephew from leukemia and those whom he first cared for as a resident physician, his life work has been dedicated to finding better therapies for cancer and other hematologic disorders.

Early Life and Education

John Bertino was born in Vineland, New Jersey and passed away at 91 years of age. His parents were Joseph and Marie (Virano) Bertino.

He was a WWII Marine stationed in the South Pacific who later attended Purdue University to study civil engineering. Additionally, he owned and operated an effective blueberry packing business.

One of his greatest achievements was the discovery of a protein that enhanced methotrexate’s effectiveness as a cancer chemotherapy treatment. This research opened the door to numerous therapeutic advances and earned him an AACR award-winning achievement.

Professional Career

Forty-eight years ago, Bertino’s pioneering work set the stage for combination chemotherapy that would cure patients suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and acute leukemias. Additionally, his discoveries regarding folate metabolism – an essential pathway in cancer cell survival – provided further proof of this impact.

Joe Bertino had an immense impact on his lab members and colleagues. He mentored numerous brilliant biochemists, such as Bill Hait and Vicky Richon.

Even while suffering from chronic illness, Bertino continued his laboratory research. For his dedication to cancer research, he earned numerous honors such as the AACR Landon Translational Prize and AACR Lifetime Achievement Award.

Achievements and Honors

In his laboratory, Bertino has made groundbreaking advances in cancer research. He is co-author of a book on lymphoma’s molecular biology and has contributed to developing drugs that target rare blood cancers.

He is also co-director of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and has received numerous awards, such as the ASCO Statesman Award and AACR Lifetime Achievement Award.

He is the author of over 400 scientific publications and serves on the editorial boards for several cancer research journals. Additionally, he has served on AACR’s Development Committee, International Affairs Committee, Finance & Audit Committee.

Personal Life

John Bertino has an illustrious past. As an engineering professional, he had decades of experience leading teams to successfully develop and execute complex government contracts and projects.

He served as a senior engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha, Nebraska where he oversaw construction projects related to water resources infrastructure, military facilities and environmental remediation.

In addition to his professional duties, Bertino also dedicated time and energy towards volunteering for various nonprofit organizations. He is currently a member of the Catholic Central History Committee which is working to compile an anniversary book for the church.

Bertino had an ordeal as a child that inspired the storyline for The Strangers: people knocking on his parents’ door asking for someone who didn’t live there. This experience served to shape his perception of life in general and its characters in particular.

Net Worth

John Bertino is an acclaimed filmmaker whose success in the movie industry has earned him a substantial net worth. He is praised for his ability to craft suspenseful and terrifying tales, often drawing inspiration from personal experiences and fears to craft captivating narratives that keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Additionally, Bertino has an interest in collecting vintage horror memorabilia – often keeping these items as mementos of his collecting adventures.