Cancer Center
The LaboratoryCancer Center is a basic research facility committed to exploring the fundamental biology of human cancer. With support from the聽聽(NCI) since 1987, our researchers have used a focused, multi-disciplinary approach to break new ground in basic tumor biology and develop innovative, advanced technologies. Research covers a broad range of cancer types, including breast, prostate, leukemia, glioma, pancreatic, sarcoma, lung, and melanoma.
Three Scientific Programs provide focus in Cancer Genetics and Genomics; Cellular Communication in Cancer; and Gene Regulation and Inheritance. In addition, ten Shared Resources offer essential access to technologies, services, and expertise that enhance productivity. With a strong collaborative environment and open communication, the LaboratoryCancer Center is able to make breakthroughs in cancer biology that are translating into real progress in cancer diagnostics and treatment.
Members of the LaboratoryCancer Center apply a multi-pronged approach鈥攆rom genomic biology to animal models to detailed biochemistry鈥攖o interrogate the molecular mechanisms that drive tumor growth and metastasis. Building on this basic research, scientists at the Lab are translating their findings into novel therapeutics for many of the most intractable cancers. Much of this research is made possible through numerous collaborations with clinical partners, including a strategic alliance with the nearby Northwell Health System that connects Laboratoryscientists with clinicians and more than 16,000 cancer patients each year.
Leadership and Administration
Leadership
Director: David Tuveson, M.D., Ph.D.
Deputy Director: Chris Vakoc, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Director, Administration: Lindsey Baker, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Shared Resources: Nicholas Tonks, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Education, Lloyd Trotman, Ph.D.
Associate Director, DEI: Camila dos Santos, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, Shared Resources: Michael Lukey, Ph.D.
Administration
Assistant Director of Administration, Research: Katie Brenner
Assistant Director of Administration, Education and DEI: Jessica Peluso
Director, Clinical & Translational Collaborations at 麻豆传媒社区: Soma Prum
Assistant Director, Shared Resources Operations: Denise Roberts, Ph.D.
Coordinator: Kelly Lewis
Program leaders
Co-program leaders, Cancer Genetics and Genomics: Tobias Janowitz, M.D., Ph.D., Adam Siepel, Ph.D.
Co-program leaders, Cellular Communication in Cancer: Corina Amor Vegas, M.D., Ph.D., Linda Van Aelst, Ph.D.
Co-program leaders, Gene Regulation and Inheritance: Justin Kinney, Ph.D., Adrian Krainer, Ph.D.
Cancer Center External Advisory Board
, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Gastrointestinal Oncology Division, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center
, M.D., Ph.D.
Executive Director, Duke Cancer Center
, Ph.D. (Administrative Advisor)
Associate Director of Administration, Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children鈥檚 Cancer Consortium
, Ph.D.
Co-Executive Director, The Institute for Genomic Medicine at Nationwide Children鈥檚 Hospital and the Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair of Genomic Medicine
, M.D.
Deputy Physician-in-Chief, Breast Cancer Programs
Medical Director, Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
, Ph.D.
Scientific Director, The Alan and Sandra Gerry Metastasis and Tumor Ecosystems Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical Oncology, Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Genetics and Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children鈥檚 Research Hospital
, Ph.D.
Director, Salk Institute Cancer Center
, M.D.
Director and Lipman Chair in Oncology, VCU Massey Cancer Center
Past Directors
Dr. James Watson
1987 鈥 1988
Dr. Richard Roberts
1988 鈥 1992
Dr. Bruce Stillman
1992 鈥 2016
Laboratoryand Range ETFs launch new partnership
November 21, 2024
The affiliation was announced during a historic event at the Nasdaq stock market, highlighting the importance of cancer research.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: Long-lived creatures of the night
November 19, 2024
Bat genes may hold the keys to aging, immunity, and cancer. Find out how, as we relive a special Halloween night event with 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Dick McCombie.
Flipping cancer鈥檚 off switch
November 7, 2024
LaboratoryProfessor Christopher Vakoc and postdoc Olaf Klingbeil have found a potential drug target for some of the most common and deadly cancers.
Adrian Krainer wins Albany Prize for biomedical research
October 8, 2024
A pioneer in the burgeoning field of RNA therapeutics, Krainer has now received America鈥檚 second-highest prize in medicine.
At the Lab Season 1 Research Rewind: Cancer
October 8, 2024
As the first season of our new podcast winds down, we鈥檙e revisiting all of our episodes with a focus on 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 cutting-edge cancer research.
How does cancer spread? Follow the map
September 25, 2024
LaboratoryProfessor Adam Siepel and postdoc Armin Scheben use genetic barcodes to map how prostate cancer spreads.
The curious immune cells caught between worlds
September 24, 2024
麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Hannah Meyer shows innate-like T cells mature differently in humans and mice. Her discovery could improve preclinical immunotherapy studies.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: How the brain and body communicate
September 19, 2024
Hungry? How do you know? To answer questions like this, 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Jeremy Borniger taps into the circuits controlling brain-body communication.
At the Lab Episode 24: Putting the brakes on brain cancer
September 17, 2024
LaboratoryProfessor Alea Mills compares the deadly brain cancer glioblastoma to a car with its brakes cut. Her lab works to reattach them.
Laboratory& Aboff鈥檚 Paints announce Paint & Donate campaign
September 9, 2024
Proceeds from every gallon of premium paint sold at Aboff鈥檚 Paints in October will go to support 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 breast cancer research programs.
At the Lab Episode 22: Outmuscling cancer
September 3, 2024
After 10 years, Laboratoryhas made a breakthrough in the study of RMS, a rare pediatric cancer. How we got here is a story of innovation and perseverance.
Humans of Banbury: Interview with Alessandra Luchini
August 30, 2024
An interview with June 2022's "Perinatal Transmission of Lyme Disease" meeting participant Alessandra Luchini, Ph.D.
How breast cancer goes hungry
August 28, 2024
LaboratoryAssistant Professor Michael Lukey has identified a source of breast cancer鈥檚 backup food supplies鈥攁nd a way to block access.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: The whole-body health spectrum
August 22, 2024
How can a tiny tumor, often no larger than a penny, have such a big impact? 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Tobias Janowitz unpacks a complicated but highly relatable issue.
At the Lab Episode 20: Cleanup on IL-6
August 20, 2024
LaboratoryProfessor Bo Li set out to study a tiny group of neurons involved in cancer cachexia. What he found astounded even him.
At the Lab Episode 18: The stress of cancer
August 6, 2024
A sobering conversation on a breakthrough discovery with potentially significant implications for cancer patients everywhere.
Katherine Alexander joins Laboratorycancer faculty
August 5, 2024
Her team will explore mysterious cellular structures known as nuclear speckles and their role in diseases such as cancer.
A century of women鈥檚 health breakthroughs
July 22, 2024
Oscar Riddle identified the hormone behind lactation in 1933. The discovery at Laboratorycontinues to inspire research on women鈥檚 health and breast cancer.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: Why do we age?
July 18, 2024
Humans have asked this question since the dawn of civilization. Today, we have the answer. Find out about this and more from 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Corina Amor Vegas.
One Experiment: Brain-body鈥檚 feathery display
July 15, 2024
An angry peacock is no joke. Like the colorful bird and its tall tail feathers, cancer biology can make for some eye-catching images.
Recapping 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 88th Symposium
July 10, 2024
Thought leaders from around the world came together at Laboratoryto share and discuss the latest research in brain-body physiology.
How to stop cancer cachexia? Start at the top
July 8, 2024
Professor Bo Li and a team of collaborators from four Laboratorylabs have discovered a new potential drug target for the lethal wasting disease.
麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 30th Annual Golf Tournament raises nearly $700,000
July 3, 2024
It was another record-breaker for the summer fundraiser, which this year honored Paul Paternoster, a longtime supporter of sarcoma research.
At the Lab Episode 13: A more sustainable chemistry
July 2, 2024
For this week鈥檚 podcast, LaboratoryProfessor John Moses bridges the gap between chemistry and biology in less than three minutes.
At the Lab Episode 12: Cancer cops
June 25, 2024
In this week鈥檚 podcast, LaboratoryAssistant Professor Semir Beyaz reveals how metastatic breast cancer 鈥榗orrupts鈥 the body鈥檚 immune system.
Pancreatic cancer鈥檚 cellular amnesia
June 17, 2024
New study from LaboratoryProfessor Christopher Vakoc and former postdoc Diogo Maia-Silva shows how basal-like cancer cells lose their original identity.
Wrexham University awards John Moses Honorary Fellowship
June 13, 2024
LaboratoryProfessor John Moses returned to his hometown of Wrexham, Wales, where he was recognized for his contributions to science.
RNA splicing鈥檚 spotters
June 10, 2024
RNA therapeutics pioneer LaboratoryProfessor Adrian Krainer has discovered a link between two important regulator proteins, SRSF1 and DDX23.
At the Lab Episode 10: The time of our lives
June 4, 2024
鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 start making the fingernails on an arm until you had started to make the arm,鈥 says 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Christopher Hammell. How鈥檚 that for a visual?
The Louise Lindsay Read paperbark maple
May 30, 2024
Like the Chinese maple outside Blackford Hall, the roots of 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 broad intellectual family tree run deep.
Tour 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Foundations for the Future project
May 9, 2024
Join New York Governor Kathy Hochul and LaboratoryPresident & CEO Bruce Stillman for an aerial tour of 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Foundations for the Future expansion project.
Governor Hochul announces $15 million for Laboratoryexpansion
May 9, 2024
The funding will help pay for a new pancreatic cancer center鈥攑art of 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Foundations for the Future project.
A link between breast changes and . . . UTIs?
May 2, 2024
Laboratorybreast cancer researchers, led by Associate Professor Camila dos Santos, made a surprise discovery while investigating urinary tract infections.
Laboratoryand Northwell Health extend strategic affiliation
April 29, 2024
Historic agreement aims to translate basic bioscience into a clinical setting, providing cancer patients greater access to personalized healthcare.
Tuveson elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences
April 24, 2024
LaboratoryCancer Center Director and Professor David Tuveson joins an elite membership roster whose historic ranks include names like Darwin and Einstein.
Nobel laureate honored at Laboratorychemistry symposium
April 15, 2024
鈥淭he Future of Click Chemistry鈥 brought together two-time Nobelist K. Barry Sharpless with his former apprentices John Moses and David Tuveson.
Click, click, boom鈥150 new molecules
April 4, 2024
LaboratoryProfessor John Moses premieres an expansive line of new click chemistry products, uncovering leads for better antibiotics and cancer drugs.
One Experiment: Pancreatic mucus
March 26, 2024
That鈥檚 not the Starship Enterprise burning up in space. It鈥檚 an up-close look at precancerous pancreatic lesions and the mucus they produce.
Better cancer trials could be around the corner
March 21, 2024
Laboratoryresearchers have developed a new data-driven approach that cancer centers may use to expand patient recruitment efforts.
Women鈥檚 health quiz
March 19, 2024
Laboratoryresearch has yielded insights into a number of women鈥檚 health topics, from menopause to breast cancer. Take this quiz to see how far we鈥檝e come.
New hope in the fight against neurofibromatosis
March 18, 2024
A partnership between Laboratoryand the Penny鈥檚 Flight Foundation aims to find a cure for NF1, the world鈥檚 most common single-gene neurological disorder.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: Molecules to change the world
March 14, 2024
What is 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 John Moses doing with that glowing liquid? Watch our expert chemist get a reaction from the crowd at Industry bar in Huntington, NY.
Women in science on women鈥檚 health
March 8, 2024
麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Camila dos Santos and Jessica Tollkuhn offer empowering insights into breast cancer prevention, pregnancy, menopause, and hormone therapy.
Pancreatic cancer lives on mucus
February 28, 2024
Mucus is not just snot. Laboratoryscientists have discovered some pancreatic cancer cells depend on it. The finding may open a new therapeutic avenue.
Can AI uncover breast cancer risk factors?
February 26, 2024
This question lies at the heart of a new interdisciplinary collaboration between 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Camila dos Santos and Peter Koo.
Chronic stress spreads cancer 鈥 here鈥檚 how
February 22, 2024
Laboratoryresearchers have discovered a new link between chronic stress and cancer metastasis, providing a possible path forward for new treatments.
Pancreatic cancer hijacks a brain-building protein
February 14, 2024
Laboratoryresearchers have found that EN-1, a protein involved in neurodevelopment, can help pancreatic cancer spread throughout the body.
From novel discovery to anti-aging therapy
February 8, 2024
Former LaboratoryFellow Carol Greider鈥檚 Nobel-winning research has led to new cancer treatments. Now, it鈥檚 helping us unravel the mysteries of aging.
How diet may impact cancer and possible treatments
February 1, 2024
Researchers at the LaboratoryCancer Center study the links between disease and nutrition in hopes of uncovering new treatment and prevention strategies.
The fountain of youth is 鈥 a T cell?
January 24, 2024
麻豆传媒社区's Corina Amor Vegas discovers that CAR T cells can act as a 鈥渓iving鈥 drug, causing young mice to age more slowly and old mice to rejuvenate.
From cancer genetics to cancer treatments
January 18, 2024
One cancer gene, one cancer genome, two Laboratorydiscoveries that helped shape the face of modern cancer medicine.
Joshua-Tor named LaboratoryDirector of Research
January 2, 2024
The Laboratoryprofessor and HHMI investigator steps into her new role effective January 2, 2024.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: You are what you eat
December 14, 2023
The question is how! Whet your appetite for discovery with this mouthwatering talk on diet and nutrition from 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Semir Beyaz.
Can we crack this cancer鈥檚 immune response?
November 29, 2023
Laboratoryresearch brings scientists closer to understanding how pancreatic cancer interacts with our immune system and why immunotherapy hasn鈥檛 worked.
Laboratorycelebrates 50th anniversary of McClintock Laboratory
November 20, 2023
Fifty years ago, Laboratoryhonored Barbara McClintock by dedicating a building in her name. Today, it is home to four innovative cancer labs.
Foundations for the Future: Blueprint for tomorrow
November 13, 2023
麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Advancement team provides an overview of the institution鈥檚 newly launched seven-acre expansion project.
First look: Whole-body gene expression
November 6, 2023
For the first time, scientists at Laboratoryhave observed gene expression as it occurs throughout an animal. See life take shape in front of your eyes.
New antibody could target breast cancers
October 30, 2023
LaboratoryProfessor Nicholas Tonks鈥 team has discovered a new way to target PTPRD, an enzyme that may help some breast cancers spread.
Vakoc receives Excellence in Healthcare Award
October 26, 2023
The award recognizes his breakthrough sarcoma research. This is the second year in a row that the LI Herald has honored a member of the Laboratoryfaculty.
Test your breast cancer awareness
October 18, 2023
Awareness is key to prevention and potential future treatments. Take this quiz to find out about the latest in breast cancer research at 麻豆传媒社区.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: Breast cancer awareness edition
October 13, 2023
LaboratoryAssociate Professor Camila dos Santos unpacks the science of breast cancer prevention at Industry bar in Huntington, NY.
Laboratoryannounces AACR Cancer Centers Alliance
September 18, 2023
The new initiative, led by LaboratoryProfessor David Tuveson, seeks to unite the nation鈥檚 NCI-designated cancer centers to help save more patients鈥 lives.
In cancer immunotherapy, more isn鈥檛 necessarily better
September 14, 2023
LaboratoryAssistant Professor Peter Westcott may have discovered why immunotherapy often fails in certain colon cancer treatments.
These worms have rhythm
September 5, 2023
Observing gene expression in real time, Laboratoryscientists identified four molecules the C. elegans worm relies on to set the tempo of its development.
Once rhabdomyosarcoma, now muscle
August 28, 2023
鈥淓very successful medicine has its origin story,鈥 says 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Christopher Vakoc. 鈥淎nd research like this is the soil from which new drugs are born.鈥
Laboratorymakes a splash with Swim Across America
August 21, 2023
Since 1987, the charity swim has raised over $100 million for cancer research. Here, LaboratoryAssistant Professor Semir Beyaz voices his support.
Growing human organs in the lab
August 3, 2023
It鈥檚 not something out of science-fiction. It鈥檚 a real biomedical breakthrough. This video, with organoid expert Dr. James Wells, shows how it works.
Metastatic breast cancer鈥檚 Trojan horse
July 26, 2023
Laboratoryand Massachusetts General Hospital researchers uncover how metastatic breast cancer slips past the immune system鈥檚 defenses in mice.
Lingbo Zhang wins National Institutes of Health MERIT Award
June 15, 2023
The highly prestigious award will support Zhang鈥檚 research on the role of nutrients and other environmental factors in blood cancer development.
Humans of Banbury: Interview with Marcus Goncalves
May 31, 2023
An interview with March 2023's "The Future of Investigational Medicine" meeting participant Marcus Goncalves, M.D., Ph.D.
Humans of Banbury: Interview with Naranjargal Dashdorj
May 12, 2023
An interview with March 2023's "The Future of Investigational Medicine" meeting participant Naranjargal Dashdorj, M.D., Ph.D.
Your diet is your future
May 3, 2023
In this video, LaboratoryAssistant Professor Semir Beyaz shows how what you eat continues to influence your health long after you鈥檝e digested it.
Identifying cancer genes鈥 multiple personalities
April 10, 2023
The same genes can cause different subtypes of tumors. Now, Laboratorycan recreate them in the lab. The approach could lead to new cancer treatments.
Shrinking tumors with electricity
March 8, 2023
Step inside the lab of LaboratoryAssociate Professor Jeremy C. Borniger, where he and his team are rewiring the nervous system to combat cancer cells.
The shocking new research making cancer nervous
March 8, 2023
Imagine an electronic device that can eliminate tumors. In our exclusive interview, Jeremy Borniger offers an inside look at this exciting new field.
Laboratoryto receive $2 million in federal budget for 2023
January 5, 2023
The money will help the Laboratory purchase new supercomputers and artificial intelligence equipment used in cancer research.
Unlocking cancer鈥檚 ancestry
December 27, 2022
New software may help reveal the complete connections between ancestry and cancer, which could lead to better, more personalized treatments.
David Tuveson wins 2022 Luminary Award
November 17, 2022
The award, presented on World Pancreatic Cancer Day, honors Tuveson for his efforts to find a cure and improve patients鈥 lives.
David Tuveson elected to National Academy of Medicine
October 17, 2022
Tuveson was recognized for his pioneering cancer organoid research that led to the development of the first mouse models for pancreatic cancer.
A universal cancer treatment?
October 13, 2022
A medicine that disrupts the DNA replication of cancer cells may be within reach.
Tree lighting for pediatric cancer awareness
September 30, 2022
Laboratoryresearchers and local donors came together for the first annual tree lighting ceremony to commemorate Pediatric Cancer Research Awareness Month.
Immunologist Peter Westcott joins Laboratoryfaculty
September 12, 2022
The Westcott lab explores how the immune system shapes tumor evolution, with the goal of developing new cancer immunotherapies.
Cancer has a lot of nerve
August 22, 2022
Tumors recruit the nervous system to help them spread. Scientists are looking for ways to stop it.
Laboratoryhelps raise funds to support cancer research
August 5, 2022
Laboratoryswimmers and volunteers joined with Team Carolyn to raise funds for Swim Across America.
Tobias Janowitz leads new, global Cancer Grand Challenges team
June 16, 2022
Janowitz received a $25 million grant to take on cachexia. This debilitating condition is responsible for up to 30% of cancer-related deaths.
President鈥檚 essay: Foundations for the future
May 25, 2022
Strategically designed to spark scientific exchange and inspiration, Laboratoryis a unique research and education environment for advancing science.
Copper, cancer, and COVID-19: The story of an idea, a meeting, and a paper
March 4, 2022
The Copper Cancer Consortium started as a new treatment concept and is now a published paper. Read the story of Banbury's last meeting before COVID.
Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation gives $100,000
January 26, 2022
Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation has donated $100,000 to 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 cancer genetics research program.
The Darlene Carbone Brain Tumor Foundation donates $25,000 to 麻豆传媒社区
January 24, 2022
The Darlene Carbone Brain Tumor Foundation donates $25,000 to Dr. Alea Mills lab for glioblastoma research.
$3 Million gift from longtime benefactor Edith Seligson
January 20, 2022
Laboratoryannounces a $3 million gift from longtime benefactor Edith Seligson to name the Alan and Edith Seligson Professor of Cancer Research.
Obscure protein is spotlighted in fight against leukemia
January 11, 2022
Laboratoryscientists find that a protein previously unknown to cancer researchers may hold the key to targeting acute myeloid leukemia.
Corina Amor joins Laboratoryfaculty
January 7, 2022
Corina Amor is the newest fellow at 麻豆传媒社区. She studies immunology and aging.
Three Strohm Sisters Family Foundation donates $20,000 to 麻豆传媒社区
December 16, 2021
The Three Strohm Sisters Family Foundation donated $20,000 for cancer research at 麻豆传媒社区.
In breast cancer, the best defense is a strong offense
December 7, 2021
Laboratorycancer researchers revealed how the immune system prepares to combat breast cells that may turn cancerous after a pregnancy.
Exploiting cancer鈥檚 sweet tooth
October 25, 2021
Sugar addiction is a weakness for cancer cells, especially if they have only one method to get what they need.
Laboratoryreceives 2021 NCI grant of $4.5 million
October 1, 2021
The National Cancer Institute renewed its Basic Laboratory Cancer Center grant for 麻豆传媒社区, marking 34 years of our continued progress in cancer research.
Mestag, co-founded by Laboratoryprof, named leading new biotech
September 27, 2021
Fierce Biotech named Mestag Therapeutics, co-founded by LaboratoryProfessor David Tuveson, a 2021 鈥淔ierce 15鈥 leader in the biotech and pharma business.
Frontiers of cancer research quiz
September 24, 2021
Test your knowledge of the newest developments in cancer research with some science trivia.
Immune cells versus metastatic tumor cells
September 2, 2021
Macrophages help the immune system defend the body from bacteria. They can be reprogrammed to destroy cancer cells.
Laboratoryorganoid facility: Cancer custodians
July 2, 2021
To beat our worst enemy, we must first let it grow.
Director,聽David Tuveson, M.D., Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Research, Chris Vakoc, Ph.D.
Cancer researchers at Laboratoryare using cutting-edge technology in innovative and collaborative studies to explore the basic biology underlying the disease. Our research can be divided into three main focus areas:
Cancer Genetics and Genomics | |
Cellular Communication in Cancer | |
Gene Regulation and Inheritance |
The LaboratoryCancer Center has long been a leader in basic research, exploring the fundamental pathways and molecules that enable life. Now, Cancer Center researchers are applying these groundbreaking discoveries to the development of new treatments and better diagnostics for cancer.
While maintaining its focus on exceptional basic science, the LaboratoryCancer Center is also expanding translational research. The Lab has partnered with a leading healthcare system to increase preclinical research at the Lab and facilitate clinical trials based on basic science discoveries. At the same time, the next generation of doctors can experience basic research firsthand through translational training opportunities in the LaboratoryCancer Center that are designed to bridge the gap between the lab and the clinic.
Katherine Alexander
Your genetic material, the DNA, is housed in a small compartment within your cells, called the cell nucleus. While famous as the cell鈥檚 DNA container, the nucleus is not just DNA. It also contains non-DNA substructures that intermingle with DNA. We study how DNA interfaces with these substructures and why this organization is important.
Corina Amor Vegas
As we age our body accumulates damaged 鈥渟enescent鈥 cells that our immune system is no longer able to effectively eliminate. Senescent cells are responsible for the development of aging and age-related diseases like cancer or fibrosis. My group studies how senescent cells evade the immune system thereby identifying new therapeutic approaches.
Semir Beyaz
Are you really what you eat? Our goal is to uncover the precise mechanisms that link nutrition to organismal health and disease states at the cellular and molecular level. A particular focus in our lab is to understand how dietary perturbations affect the immune system and contribute to the risk of diseases that are associated with immune dysfunction such as cancer.
Jeremy C. Borniger
Patients with cancer frequently experience debilitating symptoms that can impair quality of life and reduce odds of survival. These include drastic changes in appetite, sleep/wake cycles, cognitive function, and pain, among others. Our lab aims to uncover mechanistic interactions between the brain and cancer that drive these phenomena. Reciprocally, we investigate how manipulation of specific brain circuits influences cancer processes in the body.
Jeff Boyd
My research interests are in the molecular genetics, genetics, and genomics of gynecologic and breast cancers. Currently I am focused on the early natural histories of ovarian carcinoma and metastatic breast cancer, the genomics of ovarian cancer stem/progenitor cells, and the hypothesis that most breast cancers result from polygenic susceptibility.
Nyasha Chambwe
My research focuses on identifying the genetic and molecular features of cancers that differ across racial and ethnic groups, and the extent to which these differences reveal or explain race and ethnicity-based cancer health disparities.
Kenneth Chang
RNA interference (RNAi) and CRISPR are widely used to functionally investigate mammalian genomes. It is our goal to develop and optimize these gene perturbation platforms to improve their effectiveness in understanding the biology of diseases.
Lucas Cheadle
The trillions of connections between brain cells enable complex thought and behavior. These connections are wired with great precision through both genetics and in response to an organism鈥檚 experiences. Our lab seeks to understand how experiences engage specialized immune cells called microglia to shape the connectivity and function of the brain. We are further interested in how impairments in these processes can contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
Paolo Cifani
We develop innovative mass spectrometry-based approaches to measure how protein activities are regulated under physiologic conditions and in pathological states.
Alexander Dobin
Next generation sequencing technologies revolutionized many areas of genetics and molecular biology, enabling quantitative analyses of the entire genomes and paving the way for Personalized Medicine. We develop novel statistical methods and computational algorithms for multi-omics processing and integration, and leverage Big Genomic Data to elucidate various problems in precision health, such as genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of cancer development and progression, and clinical impact of functional variants.
Camila dos Santos
Among the changes that occur during pregnancy, those affecting the breasts have been found to subsequently modify breast cancer risk. My laboratory investigates how the signals present during pregnancy permanently alter the way gene expression is controlled and how these changes affect normal and malignant mammary development.
Douglas Fearon
I鈥檓 studying how to harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer. Our underlying premise is that the microenvironment within a tumor suppresses the immune system. We have found a way to eliminate this suppression in the mouse model of pancreatic cancer, which has led to development of a drug for human pancreatic cancer that will enter phase 1 clinical trials in 2015.
Hiro Furukawa
The nervous system transmits information by passing chemical signals from one nerve cell to the others. This signal transmission relies on a variety of proteins to receive and transmit the chemical signals. My group studies the structure and function of neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels that regulate fundamental neuronal activities.
Sepideh Gholami
Dr. Sepideh Gholami M.D., M.A.S. is a board-certified surgeon scientist with dual fellowship training in Complex General Surgical Oncology and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery. Dr. Gholami serves as the Director of the Liver Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump Program, and Translational Research in Surgical Oncology at Northwell Health. She has focused her efforts on building a multidisciplinary liver surgery program with liver-directed therapies/regional therapies, including a hepatic artery infusion pump program for patients with hepatobiliary and metastatic malignancies. Dr. Gholami鈥檚 mission is to diversify and improve the research and clinical trial portfolio at Northwell Health Cancer Institute. She also has a joint appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor at 麻豆传媒社区.
Thomas Gingeras
Only a small portion of the RNAs encoded in any genome are used to make proteins. My lab investigates what these noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) do within and outside of cells, where regulators of their expression are located in the genome. This is particularly important in cancer. Our laboratory works on endometrial cancer and its relationship to age and obesity.
Sara Goodwin
I work on adapting and developing new methods/techniques for genome and transcriptome sequencing.
Christopher Hammell
As organisms develop, genes turn on and off with a precise order and timing, much like the order and duration of notes in a song. My group uses model organisms to understand the molecules that control the tempo of development. We also study how changes in the timing of gene expression contribute to diseases like cancer.
Tobias Janowitz
Cancer is a systemic disease. Using both laboratory and clinical research, my group investigates the connections between metabolism, endocrinology, and immunology to discover how the body鈥檚 response to a tumor can be used to improve treatment for patients with cancer.
Leemor Joshua-Tor
Our cells depend on thousands of proteins and nucleic acids that function as tiny machines: molecules that build, fold, cut, destroy, and transport all of the molecules essential for life. My group is discovering how these molecular machines work, looking at interactions between individual atoms to understand how they activate gene expression, DNA replication, and small RNA biology.
Justin Kinney
Research in the Kinney Lab combines mathematical theory, machine learning, and experiments in an effort to illuminate how cells control their genes. These efforts are advancing the fundamental understanding of biology and biophysics, as well as accelerating the discovery of new treatments for cancer and other diseases.
Peter Koo
Deep learning has the potential to make a significant impact in basic biology and cancer, but a major challenge is understanding the reasons behind their predictions. My research develops methods to interpret this powerful class of black box models, with a goal of elucidating data-driven insights into the underlying mechanisms of sequence-function relationships.
Adrian R. Krainer
Our DNA carries the instructions to manufacture all the molecules needed by a cell. After each gene is copied from DNA into RNA, the RNA message is "spliced" - an editing process involving precise cutting and pasting. I am interested in how splicing normally works, how it is altered in genetic diseases and cancer, and how we can correct these defects for therapy.
Alexander Krasnitz
Many types of cancer display bewildering intra-tumor heterogeneity on a cellular and molecular level, with aggressive malignant cell populations found alongside normal tissue and infiltrating immune cells. I am developing mathematical and statistical tools to disentangle tumor cell population structure, enabling an earlier and more accurate diagnosis of the disease and better-informed clinical decisions.
Dan Levy
We have recently come to appreciate that many unrelated diseases, such as autism, congenital heart disease and cancer, are derived from rare and unique mutations, many of which are not inherited but instead occur spontaneously. I am generating algorithms to analyze massive datasets comprising thousands of affected families to identify disease-causing mutations.
Michael Lukey
Tumor growth depends upon cancer cells acquiring nutrients from their environment and using these molecules to fuel proliferation. My group studies the nature and regulation of metabolic adaptation during tumorigenesis and metastasis, with the intention of identifying metabolic vulnerabilities that can be targeted for cancer therapy.
Scott Lyons
I provide collaborative research support to Laboratoryresearchers in the area of preclinical in vivo imaging. This includes access to a comprehensive range of imaging modalities, as well as provision of experimental guidance, training and imaging reagents. In addition, my lab develops new and impactful ways to image aspects of in vivo tumor biology that are broadly relevant to the development of new therapeutics and the research interests of the LaboratoryCancer Center.
Rob Martienssen
Chromosomes are covered with chemical modifications that help control gene expression. I study this secondary genetic code - the epigenome - and how it is guided by small mobile RNAs in plants and fission yeast. Our discoveries impact plant breeding and human health, and we use this and other genomic information to improve aquatic plants as a source of bioenergy.
David McCandlish
Some mutations are harmful but others are benign. How can we predict the effects of mutations, both singly and in combination? Using data from experiments that simultaneously measure the effects of thousands of mutations, I develop computational tools to predict the functional impact of mutations and apply these tools to problems in protein design, molecular evolution, and cancer.
W. Richard McCombie
Over the last two decades, revolutionary improvements in DNA sequencing technology have made it faster, more accurate, and much cheaper. We are now able to sequence up to 10 trillion DNA letters in just one month. I harness these technological advancements to assemble genomes for a variety of organisms and probe the genetic basis of neurological disorders, including autism and schizophrenia, better understand cancer progression and understand the complex structures of the genomes of higher plants.
Hannah Meyer
A properly functioning immune system must be able to recognize diseased cells and foreign invaders among the multitude of healthy cells in the body. This ability is essential to both prevent autoimmune diseases and fight infections and cancer. We study how a specific type of immune cells, known as T cells, are educated to make this distinction during development.
Alea A. Mills
Cells employ stringent controls to ensure that genes are turned on and off at the correct time and place. Accurate gene expression relies on several levels of regulation, including how DNA and its associated molecules are packed together. I study the diseases arising from defects in these control systems, such as aging and cancer.
Lopa Mishra
My research focuses on the continuum of science-driven clinical care by working on novel therapies and improved clinical outcomes, honing liver disease, metabolism/alcohol, obesity/addiction gastrointestinal cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, and neural regulation of disease and cancer, which links to the field of bioelectronic medicine.
John Moses
My group uses click chemistry to study biological systems at the molecular level. We develop and exploit powerful bond-forming click reactions that enable the rapid synthesis of small functional molecules, including cancer drugs and chemical probes. We apply these novel molecular tools in multidisciplinary discovery projects spanning the fields of biology and chemistry.
Jon Preall
Developing single-cell genomics technologies for applications related to cancer progression, immune surveillance, and discovery of rare novel cell types and transcriptional programs.
Andrea Schorn
Transposable elements make up half of our DNA. They control gene expression and have been a major evolutionary force in all organisms. The Schorn lab investigates how small RNAs identify and silence transposable elements when they become active during development and disease.
Adam Siepel
I am a computer scientist who is fascinated by the challenge of making sense of vast quantities of genetic data. My research group focuses in particular on questions involving molecular evolution and transcriptional regulation, with applications to cancer and other diseases as well as to plant breeding and agriculture.
David L. Spector
The immense amount of DNA, RNA and proteins that contribute to our genetic programs are precisely organized inside the cell's nucleus. My group studies how nuclear organization impacts gene regulation, and how misregulation of non-coding RNAs contributes to human diseases such as cancer.
Bruce Stillman
Every time a cell divides, it must accurately copy its DNA. With 3 billion 鈥渓etters鈥 in the human genome, this is no small task. My studies reveal the many steps and molecular actors involved, as well as how errors in DNA replication are involved in diseases that range from cancer to rare genetic disorders.
Jessica Tollkuhn
My lab studies how estrogen and testosterone regulate gene expression in the brain. The receptors for these steroid hormones directly bind DNA to turn genes on or off. We have found that sex differences in gene expression are a dynamic readout of hormone actions across the lifespan. We aim to understand how these hormone-regulated genes contribute to sex-variable biology, behavior, and disease risk.
Nicholas Tonks
Cells must constantly react to what is happening around them, adapting to changes in neighboring cells or the environment. I study the signals that cells use to exchange information with their surroundings. Our group is finding drugs that target these signals and thus can treat diabetes, obesity, cancer, and autism spectrum disorders.
Kevin Tracey
The major focus of my research is the molecular basis of inflammation and identifying the mechanisms by which neurons control the immune system.
Lloyd Trotman
We pioneered generation of a unique genetic mouse model for therapy and analysis of metastatic prostate cancer. Recently, we developed 3-dimensional whole organ imaging technology that allows us to visualize cancer and metastatic progression in its native environment and at single cell resolution. Now, we use this platform to understand the role of nerves in tumor metastasis, and to develop novel therapeutic interventions against lethal disease.
David Tuveson
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely lethal malignancy. On average, patients who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer succumb to the disease within 6 months. Research is the only way to defeat pancreatic cancer. My lab is making progress toward finding a cure by detecting the disease earlier and designing novel therapeutic approaches.
Chris Vakoc
Cancer cells achieve their pathogenicity by changing which genes are on and off. To maintain these changes in gene expression, cancer cells rely on proteins that interact with DNA or modify chromatin. My group investigates how such factors sustain the aberrant capabilities of cancer cells, thereby identifying new therapeutic targets.
Linda Van Aelst
Normal cell function relies on coordinated communication between all the different parts of the cell. These communication signals control what a cell does, what shape it takes, and how it interacts with other cells. I study these signaling networks to understand how they guard against cancer and neurological disorders.
Erika Tse-Luen Wee
Develop and implement state-of-the-art fluorescence imaging and analysis techniques to quantify cell and tissue samples' structure and function.
Peter Westcott
The mutational processes that drive cancer also expose it to the immune system. Therapies that invigorate anticancer immunity can be astonishingly effective, but only in a subset of patients. We are developing powerful new strategies to study how the immune system and cancer coevolve, with the goal of expanding the curative potential of immunotherapy to more patients.
Michael Wigler
Devastating diseases like cancer and autism can be caused by spontaneous changes to our DNA—mutations first appearing in the child, or in our tissues as we age. We are developing methods to discover these changes in individuals, tumors, and even single cells, to promote early detection and treatments
Johannes Yeh
Cells orchestrate proteins to conduct cell-cell communications and environment sensing in order to execute physiological functions. My lab investigates the mechanisms by which dysregulated signals cause diseases such as cancer, and we are developing therapeutics based on these mechanisms.
Lingbo Zhang
The research in the Zhang laboratory centers on normal and malignant stem and progenitor cells in the hematopoietic system and decodes the role of metabolites in the tumor microenvironment, including nutrients and neurotransmitters, and their genetic effectors in regulating hematologic malignancies. The ultimate goal is to understand how environmental signals such as dietary and neuronal activities regulate stem and progenitor cell development and cancers.
Laboratoryis an NCI-designated Cancer Center. As a basic research institution, Laboratorydoes not treat patients. Information about individual cancers is available at the . Questions about 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 cancer research program should be directed to our Communications Department.