People

Dr. Blake “Eason” Hildreth III

Dr. Eason Hildreth hails from Cary, North Carolina and received a BS in Biology from East Carolina University (2000). He then received a DVM (North Carolina State University, 2004) with extensive surgical training through a post-DVM internship (University of Florida, 2005) and residency in small animal surgery (general, orthopedics, surgical oncology, and neurosurgery) (Ohio State University, 2008). During this time he received an intensive complementary training in musculoskeletal imaging. Dr. Hildreth’s MS (2008) and PhD (2014) focused on investigating 1) the roles of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in skeletal development, and 2) the use of PTHrP as a bone-forming agent. Through this, he developed an intense interest in advanced imaging of mice evaluating bone-cancer interactions, bone-forming therapies, genetic modification, or cancer progression.

Upon completion of his PhD, he began a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship with Dr. Michael C. Ostrowski in 2015 in the Ohio State University College of Medicine’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he started working on transcription factors and microRNAs regulating myeloid, more specifically macrophage and osteoclast, differentiation and function. In May 2017, he relocated with Dr. Ostrowski to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to complete his post-doctoral training. Here, Dr. Hildreth was awarded a K01 – Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award. In July 2019 he became a tenure track Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the Department of Pathology – Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology. He is also an Associate Scientist in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone, and Autoimmunity Center, and the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences. His work focuses on the role of the tumor microenvironment, primarily macrophages and fibroblasts, in breast cancer and the tumor microenvironment, primarily macrophages and osteoclasts, in bone metastatic malignancies. This involves both genetic and therapeutic targeting of these cell types using syngeneic genetically-engineered mouse models, novel cell-specific drug delivery systems, and models of breast cancer and their metastasis. In 2021, Eason became a Pittman Scholar in the UAB School of Medicine, began serving as the Co-Director of the new Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) PhD Introduction to Pathobiology Course (GBS752), and started leading a breakout session for first year Cancer Biology theme GBS PhD students. From this, GBS students selected Eason to receive the GBS Outstanding Teaching Award for 2022.

Outside of UAB, he enjoys spending time with his wife Emily and American Cocker Spaniel named Raleigh. In addition, he has a great interest in walks/adventures with Emily and Raleigh, espresso, barbecuing/smoking, and is an avid fan of the soccer team Liverpool FC.