Dr. Finley [Jack Sorrell Fellow] examines how cells sense their nutritional status to regulate cell growth. Cancer cells rewire their metabolic pathways to support rapid growth, often subverting the normal checks and balances that guard against uncontrolled proliferation. Her research will provide insight into the metabolic cues that control growth in normal cells and the metabolic alterations that cancer cells may adopt to support tumorigenesis.

Project Title: "Regulation of cancer cell growth and survival by the propionate catabolic pathway"

Institution: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Craig B. Thompson, MD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Colorectal

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Arpaia [Robert Black Fellow] focuses on how the immune system distinguishes between beneficial gut bacteria versus those that may be pathogenic and cause disease. Changes in the levels of these microbes and the metabolites they produce are correlated with cancer-associated intestinal inflammatory disorders like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. His research may aid in the development of new therapeutics aimed at treating aberrant inflammation that can lead to cancer.

Project Title: "The role of microbiota-derived metabolic signals in shaping the intestinal immune landscape "

Institution: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Alexander Y. Rudensky, PhD

Cancer Type: Colorectal

Research Area: Basic Immunology

Dr. Beck [HHMI Fellow]  is investigating the mechanisms that are involved in complex genomic rearrangements, such as gene duplications and triplications. The replication-based DNA repair pathways that lead to complexity and copy number gain in human genomes are not well understood. Studying the mechanisms by which copy number changes occur may elucidate fundamental processes that lead to cell transformation and cancer in humans.

Project Title: "Mechanisms underlying copy number gain in cancer and genomic disorderassociated complex rearrangements"

Institution: Baylor College of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): James R. Lupski, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Genomics

Dr. Lee [HHMI Fellow] is studying how the first germ cell is specified during embryonic development. Several characteristics of germ cells are reminiscent of cancer cells, including rapid proliferation, totipotency and immortality. Furthermore, proteins expressed specifically in the germline are often misexpressed in tumors. Identifying new genes and pathways required for germ cell development will provide insights into how re-activation of germ cell fate is triggered during tumorigenesis.

Project Title: "Regulation of primordial germ cell fate in C. elegans"

Institution: Johns Hopkins University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Geraldine Seydoux, PhD

Cancer Type: Testicular

Research Area: RNA

Dr. Lander will use high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to characterize the structural organization of the large protein complexes that make up “molecular machines” in cells. By determining the molecular architecture of these machines, he aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underlie important biological processes such as cell cycle regulation and cell division. He is currently focusing on a macromolecule called the proteasome, which recognizes and degrades unwanted or dangerous proteins. Recent studies suggest that the proteasome may play a role in suppressing tumorigenesis, and that certain antitumor drugs interact with the proteasome. This research will be invaluable in defining proteasomal biochemistry, potentially revealing novel approaches to detect and suppress the onset of tumorigenesis in a wide variety of cancers.

Project Title: "Deciphering the structural basis of macromolecular functions involved in cellular homeostasis"

Institution: The Scripps Research Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Structural Biology

Dr. Harel is studying the basic molecular components that characterize “young” and “aged” cellular states. Aging is associated with an increased onset of cancer. He seeks to define the set of factors that can rejuvenate an aged cell, without the risk of malignant transformation. Ultimately, he hopes to design strategies to directly convert “old” cells from a patient into “young” ones, eventually developing more effective cancer therapies and prevention methods.

Project Title: "Defined factors for the rejuvenation of aged cells"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Anne Brunet, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Developmental Biology

Dr. Firestone is exploring novel strategies for inhibiting the cancer-causing activity of the N-Ras oncoprotein, which plays an important role in promoting cellular growth and survival. Ras mutations frequently found in many types of cancer lead to uncontrolled proliferation. Using a combination of genetic and pharmacological approaches in mouse models of Ras-driven leukemia, he aims to determine whether disrupting the subcellular localization of Ras could be an effective therapeutic intervention.  

Project Title: "Investigation of Acyl Protein Thioesterase 1 and 2 as potential therapeutic targets in NRAS driven leukemias"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Kevin M. Shannon, MD

Cancer Type: Leukemias

Research Area: Signal Transduction

Dr. Mihaylova [Robert Black Fellow] aims to understand how aberrant nutrient sensing can lead to metabolic reprogramming and transformation. Utilizing a mouse model, she will examine the re-wiring of cellular metabolism in intestinal stem cells in response to dietary changes. She hopes that these studies will lead to insights about how nutrient sensing in these cells affects stem cell maintenance and tumorigenesis.

Project Title: "Examining how nutrient state dependent metabolic reprogramming in the Paneth cells controls intestinal stem cell renewal, differentiation and tumorigenesis"

Institution: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): David M. Sabatini, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Gastric

Research Area: --

Dr. Zamarin [Dr. Bart A. Kamen Morphotek Fellow] is studying oncolytic viruses, a class of promising emerging cancer therapeutics. Oncolytic viruses can efficiently and specifically lyse cancer cells; they also induce important tumor-specific immune responses that can be active throughout the body. He is exploring different immunotherapeutic strategies to circumvent the limitations of oncolytic viruses and to make oncolytic virus-based immunotherapy applicable to all cancer types.

Project Title: "Immunotherapeutic approach to cancer treatment integrating oncolytic virotherapy and immune checkpoint regulation"

Institution: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Immunotherapy

Dr. Luo is exploring the neuronal and genetic basis of stress-induced depression-like behavior in Drosophila. Loss of resilience to stress leads to depression and other mental disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which may increase the risk of other severe diseases including liver and lung cancers. This research may develop new stress intervention approaches to improve quality of life in cancer patients.

Project Title: "A Drosophila model to study resilience to social stress and depression-like behavior"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Yuh-Nung Jan, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Liver, Lung

Research Area: Animal Models/Mouse Models

Dr. Guo is investigating how regulatory RNAs function by interacting with their target RNAs. Misregulation of these interactions has been shown to contribute to tumorigenesis. He aims to develop a high-throughput experimental strategy that can identify these interactions within each RNA and between different RNAs. These findings will not only expand the current knowledge of existing types of RNA-RNA interactions, but will also reveal novel RNA-RNA interactions that may give rise to new therapeutic strategies.

Project Title: "Charting the in vivo landscape of RNA-RNA interactions"

Institution: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): David P. Bartel, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: RNA

Dr. Kir is studying the signaling mechanisms that mediate cancer cachexia, a wasting disorder of adipose fat tissue and skeletal muscle that leads to profound weight loss. Up to 50% of cancer patients suffer from cachexia, which reduces quality of life, limits treatment options and shortens survival time. Cancer cachexia increases the amount and activity of brown fat, a key metabolic tissue that dissipates chemical energy as heat. Identification of tumor-derived factors that regulate brown fat activity could lead to new therapeutic strategies to prevent cancer cachexia.

Project Title: "Identification of factors that induce brown fat activity in cancer cachexia"

Institution: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Bruce M. Spiegelman, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Thyme [HHMI Fellow] is engineering protein tools to alter epigenetic modifications in important developmental pathways in a zebrafish model. Epigenetic misregulation, particularly of key regulators of cell fate specification, underlies a vast number of cancers. These tools could be applied to reprogram cell fate, as a means of treating epigenetically mediated diseases such as cancer.

Project Title: "Chromatin modifications and pioneer transcription factors in development"

Institution: Harvard University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Alexander F. Schier, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Epigenetics

Dr. Yildirim [HHMI Fellow] aims to identify factors that maintain cellular identity during mammalian cell proliferation. This will shed light on how cells remember which cell type they were and should become after division. A mechanistic understanding of this process will yield new insights into the many cell fate changes cancer cells display during their abnormal growth.

Project Title: "Role of LncRNAs in inheritance of chromatin states during self-renewal & differentiation"

Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Robert E. Kingston, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chromatin Biology

Dr. Muñoz aims to develop a precise understanding of how cells migrate and decipher the differences between cell migration in a physiological context (such as immune cells) and that of a cancer cell. She will determine how physical forces affect specific molecular component(s) of the signaling pathway that directs motility. The ability to control cell migration would be a valuable tool for combating cancer metastasis.

Project Title: "How neutrophils convert changes in membrane tension to changes in intracellular signaling during chemotaxis"

Institution: University of California San Francisco, and University of California, Berkeley

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Orion D. Weiner, PhD, and Daniel A. Fletcher, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biophysics

Dr. de la Zerda is building tools that would allow scientists, for the first time, to look inside a tumor and directly visualize the signaling that takes place between cancer cells in a tumor.  Learning about this signaling is essential to our understanding of cancer growth, spread and response to treatment.  Such new understanding will ultimately translate to better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Project Title: "Molecular imaging of cell-cell signaling in the tumor microenvironment"

Institution: Stanford University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: Prostate

Research Area: Imaging

Dr. Nikolova [Robert Black Fellow] aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism of gene silencing mediated by the protein Kaiso. Kaiso interacts with its target DNA sequences to silence genes involved in the development and spread of cancer. Previous studies suggest that Kaiso acts as a tumor suppressor gene that can block cells from progressing to cancer; irregular Kaiso function is linked to cancer cell proliferation in a number of human cancers including colon, prostate, breast and lung cancers, as well as leukemia. Understanding the manner by which Kaiso associates with DNA and other proteins to control the expression of cancer-related genes may aid in the design of novel cancer treatments.

Project Title: "Recognition of methylated and specific DNA sequences by the zinc finger transcriptional repressor Kaiso and modulation by other nuclear factors"

Institution: The Scripps Research Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Peter E. Wright, PhD

Cancer Type: Breast, Gastric, Lung, Lymphomas, Prostate

Research Area: Biophysics

Dr. Karijolich focuses on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common viral infection.  While the majority of EBV infections result in only minor symptoms, EBV is associated with the development of certain cancers. The mechanisms by which this virus promotes cancer are not completely understood. The goal of his project is to define cellular processes that EBV usurps to promote cancer formation. The successful outcome of this work has the potential to identify novel mechanisms that promote the development of cancer as well as novel therapeutic targets.

Project Title: "Identification and characterization of noncoding RNAs involved in Epstein-Barr virus-mediated cellular transformation"

Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Britt A. Glaunsinger, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biochemistry

Antibodies have proven to be powerful tools in cancer research, facilitating the elucidation of disease mechanisms and generating novel and effective anti-cancer therapeutics. However, antibody biotechnology is limited by one major factor: the inability of antibodies to effectively cross the cell membrane to reach the inside of the cell, or cytosol. A new strategy is clearly necessary—one based on facile and reliable delivery of active antibody-like molecules into various cell types.

Dr. Pentelute plans to construct a new, targeted delivery platform capable of introducing stable molecules that mimic antibodies (deemed “intrabodies”). He will use this proposed delivery platform to strike the intracellular cancer target Bcr-Abl for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. He also aims to target the cancer-promoting complex p53/MDM2 in cancer cells. Through these innovative studies, he aims to advance the frontier by delivering a diverse array of antibody-like molecules into cells for cancer therapy.

Project Title: "Striking cancer with intracellular antibodies"

Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chemical Biology

[Island Outreach Foundation Innovator of the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award]

Cancer is thought to arise through a series of genetic mutations in the DNA sequence. Depending on the location of these errors and the genes that are affected, these mutations lead to the many different features that characterize cancer cells such as uncontrolled proliferation, escape from cell death and metastasis.

Dr. Mayr proposes the existence of a new type of anomaly that can lead to cancer: non-genetic aberrations induced by modifications of RNAs, which have so far been excluded from large-scale cancer genomics efforts. She has developed a new method to identify this type of aberration in different cancers and will investigate its frequency and functional consequences for tumor growth. Her studies will help to broaden the understanding of cancers and may also help in the design of new therapeutics.

Project Title: "A functional atlas of lymphoma specific aberrations generated by RNA processing"

Institution: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: All cancers, Lymphomas

Research Area: Cancer Genetics

Each cell contains organelles called mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of cells, producing energy in the form of ATP. Mitochondria contain their own separate DNA, which codes for key energy-producing enzymes. Maintaining the integrity of the mitochondrial genome is necessary for optimal cellular function and for protection against diseases. Alterations in mitochondrial DNA are associated with and can promote metastasis of many tumors, such as lung, breast and prostate. Such aberrations range from single base substitutions to large-scale deletions that remove segments of the mitochondrial genome. The mechanism by which these aberrations influence disease progression remains unclear.

Dr. Sfeir aims to uncover the underlying basis for accumulation of these highly dangerous deletions in mitochondrial DNA and the mechanism by which they shape tumor behavior. This work will help identify novel strategies to preserve mitochondrial function and thwart tumor progression.

Project Title: "Pathways involved in preserving the genomic stability of mitochondrial DNA"

Institution: NYU Lagone Medical Center, Skirball Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Cancer Genetics

[Lau/Palihapitiya Innovator]

Cancer cells exhibit uncontrolled growth and proliferation, leading to the formation of malignant tumors. Therefore, many current cancer therapies are aimed at trying to block cell multiplication, with the goal of killing cancerous cells and halting tumor growth. However, many of these treatments also affect the growth and division of non-cancerous cells in the body, leading to severe side effects. 

Dr. Wignall will investigate a pathway required for the division of cancerous, but not normal cells. This pathway regulates a physical structure in the cell called the centrosome. By learning more about this pathway, she hopes to ultimately contribute to designing therapies that will specifically attack cancer cells, leading to better treatment options for cancer patients.

Project Title: "Probing centrosome-clustering mechanisms to identify targets for new cancer therapies"

Institution: Northwestern University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Proliferation/Cell Cycle

[Nadia's Gift Foundation Innovator]

Tumors evolve from single cells. As they expand to form the tumor mass, the cells diverge and form distinct subpopulations with different genetic mutations. This salient characteristic is called “intratumor heterogeneity” and confounds basic research and clinical diagnostics. The challenge is that standard genomic tools require a large amount of input material and thus are limited to measuring an average signal from a complex population of cells. 

Dr. Navin proposes the development of an innovative single-cell sequencing tool that can detect genomic mutations in single cancer cells, allowing heterogeneity in tumors to be delineated. He will apply this technique to study how single breast cancer cells disseminate from the primary tumor into the circulatory system and seed metastatic tumors. In addition, this method will have a myriad of clinical applications, which have prognostic value in predicting invasion, metastasis, survival and response to chemotherapy. Translating these methods into the clinic is likely to have a profound effect on reducing morbidity in breast cancer and other cancer types.

Project Title: "Developing single-cell sequencing methods to investigate metastatic seeding in breast cancer"

Institution: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: Breast

Research Area: Genomics

Many cancers initially respond to therapy. However, cancers often acquire resistance and stop responding to further treatment. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an example of a cancer that is highly sensitive to initial treatment, but quickly acquires a vicious resistance resulting in a five-year patient survival rate of less than 4%. In order to combat drug resistance and improve the quality of life for patients with SCLC, it is important to understand the key genetic changes and cellular pathways that drive resistance.

Dr. Oliver will use the most innovative next-generation sequencing technologies to comprehensively identify critical genetic changes associated with resistance. These findings will be essential for understanding how lung cancer, and potentially other types of cancer, evades chemotherapy. In addition, this work will identify novel pathways that could be targeted to re-establish drug sensitivity and thereby provide new treatment options for patients with drug-resistant disease. 

Project Title: "Mechanisms of drug resistance in small cell lung cancer"

Institution: Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s):

Cancer Type: Lung

Research Area: Chemoresistance

Currently available cancer treatments, such as chemotherapeutics, targeted inhibitors or immunotherapies, are not capable of fully eradicating cancers and are limited by toxicities and side effects.

Dr. Lin aims to take a new approach to cancer treatment by engineering a virus that will infect and replicate specifically in cancer cells, triggering their destruction. This strategy aims not to suppress oncogenic signaling, but to use it as a trigger for a smart biological therapy. If he succeeds, progress will be made toward developing a much-needed “magic bullet” against cancer.

Project Title: "Building the magic bullet: protein switches for sensing oncogenic signals and executing therapeutic programs"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: Breast, Colorectal, Head and Neck

Research Area: Signal Transduction

Dr. Luo [Miles S. Nadal Fellow] aims to characterize the wound healing process and its influence on skin tumorigenesis. Chronic injury and aberrant wound healing are correlated with enhanced susceptibility to skin cancer and metastasis. Her goals are to reveal the key missing links of the relationship between wound repair and cancer, and to provide insights into the prevention and treatment of skin cancer and metastasis.

Project Title: "Identifying genetic regulators and mechanisms of stem cell migration in wound repair"

Institution: The Rockefeller University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Elaine V. Fuchs, PhD

Cancer Type: Skin

Research Area: Stem Cell Biology

Dr. He is studying how organ size and quality are controlled. Cell competition is a Darwinian-like phenomenon by which cells possessing unequal “fitness” compete with each other during tissue growth or regeneration. Activation of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the “loser” cells in turn triggers compensatory proliferation of the “winners.” This process can eliminate tumor cells at an early stage; however, it may also be hijacked by cancer cells to invade the healthy tissue. His goal is to combine both in vitro and in vivo systems to generate a comprehensive understanding of signals that govern this process.

Project Title: "Molecular characterization of cell competition and compensatory cell proliferation in Drosophila "

Institution: Harvard Medical School

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Norbert Perrimon, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Signal Transduction

Dr. Issigonis [HHMI Fellow] studies the mechanisms by which somatic stem cells produce germ cells, the cells that give rise to either egg or sperm. Germ cells and cancer cells share several characteristics such as immortalization (transformation) and migration (metastasis). A wide range of cancers arise when germ cell developmental pathways are erroneously activated in somatic cells. Identifying the processes underlying germ cell specification and development will help elucidate the factors that trigger misexpression of germ cell genes in cancer cells.

Project Title: "Germ cell specification from somatic stem cells in planarians"

Institution: University of Illinois

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Phillip A. Newmark, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Stem Cell Biology

Dr. Çamdere is using structural biological analysis and in vitro assays to understand how a protein called cohesion interacts with DNA. During cell division, cohesin is the protein complex that holds sister chromatids (replicated chromosomes) together until the onset of cell division, when each copy goes to one daughter cell. Cohesin is required for proper chromosome segregation, DNA repair, gene expression, and overall maintenance of genomic integrity. A better understanding of cohesin will provide important insights into chromosome organization and biology, as well as shed light onto the pathology of cancer.

Project Title: "In vitro and in vivo characterization of cohesin-DNA interaction"

Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Douglas E. Koshland, PhD

Cancer Type: Breast, Colorectal, Gynecological, Kidney, Prostate, Thyroid

Research Area: Chromosome and Telomere Biology

Dr. Merrick is studying how inflammation affects the development of colorectal cancer and the response of these tumors to chemotherapy. By using animal models and highly quantitative systems-based approaches, he hopes to identify novel therapies and develop methods to predict the efficacy of drug treatment.

Project Title: "Elucidating how inflammation affects tumorigenesis and response to chemotherapy in colon cancer"

Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Michael B. Yaffe, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Colorectal

Research Area: Signal Transduction

Dr. Chen is studying somatosensation, the sense of “touch,” with a focus on pain sensation. She aims to identify novel proteins that a) drive the development of sensory neurons, and b) confer the ability to detect painful stimuli under normal and pathophysiological conditions, including those leading to cancer-induced pain.

Project Title: "Analysis of somatosensory neuron function and lineage through nuclear reprogramming"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): David J. Julius, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Neuroscience

Dr. Cappell aims to understand the precise molecular events that allow cells to enter the cell cycle (process of cell division), by applying quantitative time-lapse microscopy, live-cell fluorescent reporters and mathematical modeling. The beginning of the cell cycle, the G1/S phase transition, represents the commitment to cell division and is deregulated in nearly all types of cancers. He hopes to identify new regulatory elements controlling the G1/S transition that can be targeted for therapeutic benefit. 

Project Title: "Molecular dynamics of the G1/S transition"

Institution: Stanford University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Tobias Meyer, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Proliferation/Cell Cycle

Dr. Smanski [HHMI Fellow] is examining magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), which possess unique physical properties that have led to several clinical applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Several species of bacteria have been found to naturally produce MNPs with exquisite control over size and shape that is unmatched by current chemical synthesis methods. He aims to understand how bacterial synthesis of MNPs relies on the coordinated expression of several dozen genes.

Project Title: "Refactoring the genetics of magnetic nanoparticle synthesis"

Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Christopher A. Voigt, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Systems Biology

Dr. Bhabha [Merck Fellow] is using electron and light microscopy techniques to study the structure and atomic motions of dynein, a molecular motor protein that “walks” along “tracks” in the cell called microtubules. Dynein functions to transport cargos such as organelles and vesicles to their correct cellular locations, which is essential for cell survival. Its crucial role in cargo transport as well as in cell division makes dynein an important molecule to potentially target for cancer treatment.

Project Title: "High-resolution studies of dynein structure and mechanism"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Ronald D. Vale, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biophysics

Dr. Shoemaker is studying autophagy, a process of cellular housekeeping and energy generation. The activation of autophagy can facilitate cancer drug resistance. By better understanding the processes that govern autophagy, he ultimately seeks to limit the effects of drug resistance during cancer treatment. 

Project Title: "Elucidating the molecular mechanics of autophagy using a cell-free system"

Institution: Harvard University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Vlad Denic, PhD and Andrew W. Murray, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biochemistry

Dr. Davis seeks to develop individualized, molecularly-targeted cancer therapy for osteosarcoma, a disease that accounts for only 2% of all pediatric cancers but is responsible for over 8% of all pediatric cancer deaths. She will establish primary cell cultures of osteosarcoma tumor samples from patients and identify genetic pathways in each individual sample that can be targeted with therapeutic agents. She will also use computer modeling to design drug combinations that may prevent the development of drug resistance. The goal of the proposed project is to improve osteosarcoma survival while decreasing therapy-related toxicity.

Project Title: "Osteosarcoma as a proof-of-concept model for personalized cancer therapy"

Institution: Oregon Health & Science University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Charles Keller, MD

Cancer Type: Sarcomas

Research Area: Experimental Therapeutics

Dr.  Bohlen is studying how cells of the nervous system called microglia communicate to other cell types during nerve injury. He seeks to identify microglia-neuron and microglia-astroglia signals that contribute to chronic pain induced by tumors. This research will identify potential targets of palliative therapies for cancer patients, and will provide insights into signaling pathways that may become activated or misregulated in brain cancers such as gliomas.

Project Title: "Glial activation in neuropathic injury and pain"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Ben A. Barres, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Neuroscience

Dr. Diner seeks to understand how the innate immune system distinguishes between self- and bacteria-derived (or non-self) nucleic acids. He will determine which factors are involved in recognition or release of bacterial nucleic acids. This research has a direct application to cancer and tumor biology, as cancerous cells undergo uninhibited cell growth that typically remains undetected by the immune system. Understanding how the immune system recognizes or avoids recognition of specific molecules may lead to the discovery of pathways that can be exploited to direct the immune system to target tumor cells.

Project Title: "Cytosolic detection of intracellular pathogen-derived nucleic acids by the innate immune system"

Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Russell E. Vance, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Basic Immunology

Dr. Weber [HHMI Fellow] is investigating control of cell size. She aims to understand how the size and activity of the nucleolus, a subnuclear organelle that has been implicated in tumorigenesis, contributes to cell, tissue and body size.  Cancer cells are often smaller or larger than normal, suggesting that the mechanisms controlling cell size break down during the course of the disease. 

Project Title: "Mechanisms controlling cell and body size in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans"

Institution: Princeton University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Clifford P. Brangwynne, PhD and Howard A. Stone, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Developmental Biology

Dr. Racki [HHMI Fellow] is studying metabolism of compounds called polyphosphates in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterial pathogen that can lead to lethal infections in immunocompromised cancer patients. Polyphosphates, inorganic polymers linked by specific chemical bonds, play a role in virulence in P. aeruginosa, but are also evolutionarily ubiquitous and found from bacteria to mammalian cells. A better understanding of polyphosphate metabolism in a model bacterial pathogen may aid in the design of treatments for cancer-associated pathogens and may also shed light on the poorly understood role of polyphosphates in mammalian cell growth.

Project Title: "Polyphosphates and stationary phase survival"

Institution: California Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Dianne K. Newman, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Microbiology

Dr. Ekiert is exploring the complex network of interactions between the host immune system and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis (TB) in humans. In order to survive and replicate inside host cells, M. tuberculosis must evade detection by the immune system and interfere with multiple antimicrobial pathways that would otherwise lead to the destruction of the bacteria. Investigating the interactions between M. tuberculosis and host factors may uncover new therapeutic targets for the treatment of TB infection.  Moreover, understanding how pathogens escape immune recognition may shed light on how cancerous cells evade detection by similar tissue surveillance mechanisms.

Project Title: "Exploring the role of a novel, polymorphic protein family in M. tuberculosis pathogenesis"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Jeffery S. Cox, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Lung

Research Area: Infectious Disease

Dr. Wang studies leukemia, which is caused by rapidly and inappropriately dividing blood cells. These quickly proliferating cells derive from leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that are present only in very low numbers and are highly resistant to conventional chemotherapy. The persistence of LSCs is a large part of why high-risk leukemias such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are difficult to treat and often fatal. His research focuses on finding the activated protein circuits that are specific to and responsible for the development of LSCs. His goal is to understand what makes LSCs different from normal blood stem cells, and to use that knowledge to develop new and innovative therapies for childhood blood cancers.

Project Title: "Phosphoproteomic identification of therapeutic targets in AML stem cells"

Institution: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Amy J. Wagers, PhD

Cancer Type: Leukemias

Research Area: Stem Cell Biology

Dr. Bothmer [The Jake Wetchler Foundation Fellow for Pediatric Innovation] is studying how the function of ribosomes, cellular machines responsible for making protein, is changed in cancer cells. She plans to characterize how the composition of ribosomes in cancerous cells differs from that of ribosomes in normal cells, and to test whether these differences contribute to the development of diseases such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Elucidating how cancer cells differ from normal cells will ultimately contribute to the development of novel therapeutic options for the treatment of cancer.

Project Title: "Identification and characterization of novel ribosome-associated proteins and their role in hematopoietic development and disease"

Institution: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Pier Paolo Pandolfi, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Leukemias

Research Area: Biochemistry

Dr. Feng is studying immunosurveillance in metastasis, which is mediated by cells called macrophages. Cancer cells are confronted with multiple challenges during metastasis, including macrophage-mediated programmed cell removal in the circulation and distant organs. He will focus on defining the mechanisms utilized by metastatic cancer cells to evade programmed cell removal and developing strategies to promote the clearance of metastatic cancer cells by macrophages. This research will advance our knowledge of the basic principles of cancer development and metastasis, and may inspire a new class of therapeutics for cancer treatment.

Project Title: "Macrophage-mediated immunosurveillance in metastasis"

Institution: Stanford University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Irving L. Weissman, MD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Sievert is committed to developing more effective treatments for the many children diagnosed with brain tumors each year. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Mutations in BRAF, an oncogene that can drive cancer growth, are prevalent in pediatric astrocytomas. By studying how mutated BRAF can be targeted by the newest classes of cancer drugs, she hopes to understand why and how these tumors develop in children and which treatments might work best. Her preliminary research has shown that different BRAF mutations identified in pediatric astrocytomas respond differently to targeted BRAF treatments. These studies will be the basis for moving novel, targeted treatment strategies into the clinic to treat the many children afflicted by this devastating cancer.

Project Title: "Preclinical models for therapeutic targeting of BRAF altered pediatric astrocytomas"

Institution: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): John M. Maris, MD

Cancer Type: Brain, Neuro-oncology

Research Area: Signal Transduction

Dr. Brooks [Merck Fellow] is analyzing cancer genome sequence data to identify DNA mutations that affect RNA splicing, a form of gene processing and regulation. By characterizing these mutations, her work will provide further understanding of the role of splicing alterations in cancer as well as insight into the functional consequences of cancer mutations.

Project Title: "Characterizing somatic mutations that affect mRNA splicing in cancer"

Institution: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Matthew L. Meyerson, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Leukemias, Lung

Research Area: Genomics

Dr. Wiita is using a powerful technique called mass spectrometry to isolate and identify proteins degraded during cell death and released into the bloodstream shortly after starting chemotherapy.  Chemotherapy is frequently the mainstay of therapy for patients with cancer, yet the current tests available to assess whether chemotherapy is working are typically quite expensive and can only be used weeks to months after the start of therapy. His goal is to identify proteins that can serve as rapid and inexpensive markers of chemotherapeutic efficacy, enabling more effective individualized chemotherapeutic regimens for cancer patients.

Project Title: "Novel biomarker discovery for monitoring chemotherapeutic efficacy"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): James A. Wells, PhD

Cancer Type: Leukemias, Lymphomas, Myeloma

Research Area: Diagnostics

Dr. Boettiger aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of gene silencing through the application of novel super-resolution microscopy techniques. Gene silencing is an important developmental process whereby genes that are not needed in certain tissues are turned off. Loss of silencing can lead to the expression of genes that promote cell proliferation and migration, leading to cancer. The ability to restore and maintain natural patterns of gene silencing may successfully block cancer.

Project Title: "Using super resolution imaging to probe molecular mechanisms of Polycomb silencing"

Institution: Harvard University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Xiaowei Zhuang, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chromatin Biology

Dr. Pontano Vaites focuses on the autophagy pathway, a critical regulatory network of proteins that allows cells to recycle cellular components to survive nutrient-depleted conditions. Deregulation of autophagy leads to diseases, including cancer. She aims to understand the role of key regulatory complexes and to utilize new quantitative methodologies to identify novel pathway components. The proposed work will provide detailed insight into the dynamics and organization of complexes required for autophagy and how this organization may be disrupted in cancer.

Project Title: "Investigating the role of the CRL3-KBTBD6/7 E3 ubiquitin ligase in autophagosome maturation"

Institution: Harvard Medical School

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): J. Wade Harper, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Pancreatic

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Pacold [Sally Gordon Fellow] studies dehydrogenases, a class of metabolic enzymes that synthesize the building blocks required for the survival and proliferation of cancer cells. His goal is to develop compounds that block the activity of dehydrogenases essential for the growth of treatment-refractory cancers, with a particular focus on certain breast cancers.

Project Title: "Targeting dehydrogenases in cancer metabolism"

Institution: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): David M. Sabatini, MD, PhD & Nathanael S. Gray, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Breast

Research Area: Chemical Biology

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway normally conveys cues from the cell’s environment into programs that promote cellular growth, division, and motility.  Components of the PI3K signaling pathway are mutated in greater than 70% of all breast cancers and promote the persistent and exaggerated cell growth that is necessary for tumor formation and survival.  This pathway is therefore a promising target for treating breast cancers; however, drugs designed to target the PI3K signaling pathway are initially effective but resistance rapidly develops.

Dr. Chandarlapaty [Patterson Trust Clinical Investigator] seeks to understand how tumor cells rapidly adapt to PI3K inhibitor drugs.  His initial studies indicate that cancer cells use a cellular mechanism called “negative feedback” to either activate alternative signaling pathways not blocked by the drug or reactivate the PI3K pathway.  His goal is to identify other targets that can be blocked in combination with the PI3K pathway to more effectively kill cancer cells but not normal cells. These combinations will be tested in clinical trials in breast cancer patients with mutations in the PI3K pathway.

Project Title: "Therapeutic approaches to PI3K-AKT-mTOR feedback pathways in breast cancer"

Institution: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Neal Rosen, MD, PhD, and Clifford A. Hudis, MD

Cancer Type: Breast

Research Area: Signal Transduction

Monoclonal antibodies that target cancer are among the most notable scientific advances of the last quarter century.  Rapid translation of this research has prolonged the survival of thousands of patients with lymphomas that express CD20, breast cancers that express HER2, and colorectal, lung, and head and neck cancers that express EGFR.  Despite the promising activity of antibodies such as rituximab (Rituxan, targets CD20), trastuzumab (Herceptin, targets HER2), and cetuximab (Erbitux, targets EGFR), the response rate among patients with advanced cancer remains suboptimal at less than 25%.

Antitumor activity of monoclonal antibodies is dependent, in part, upon the immune response, which recognizes and destroys antibody-bound tumor cells.  Dr. Kohrt will focus on developing new therapies that improve the activity of monoclonal antibodies, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the need for chemotherapy as a treatment for cancer patients.  He recently identified an antibody that targets activated immune cells and enhances the cells’ function, leading to increased destruction of the targeted cancer cells.  His work will include a Phase I clinical trial testing this novel immune-enhancing antibody in patients.

Project Title: "Augmenting anticancer antibody therapies through selective activation of NK cells"

Institution: Stanford University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Ronald Levy, MD

Cancer Type: Breast, Colorectal, Head and Neck, Lymphomas

Research Area: Immunotherapy

Every cell in the human body is held in a balance between signals that will initiate a program of cell death called apoptosis at any sign of internal stress and opposing signals that promote survival of the cell.  Cancer cells harbor many internal stresses and often depend on very powerful cell-survival-promoting signals to keep the strong cell-death signals in check.

Synovial sarcoma is a cancer that primarily targets adolescents and young adults.  Although rare, the young age of its victims greatly increases the importance of this cancer as it too often takes them in the prime of life; five-year survival rates remain quite low.  Synovial sarcoma has an unusual balance of cell-death signals and cell-survival signals that makes it very resistant to many chemotherapies used to try to kill the tumor.  Dr. Jones aims to improve understanding of this unique balance, with the goal of learning how to topple it in favor of killing tumor cells and thus increasing patient survival.  His discoveries will be directly pertinent to synovial sarcoma, but will also likely impact cancer research more generally through its findings about apoptosis.

Project Title: "The mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in synovial sarcoma"

Institution: Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Mario R. Capecchi, PhD, and Sunil Sharma, MD

Cancer Type: Sarcomas

Research Area: Animal Models/Mouse Models

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, is an incurable brain cancer that mostly strikes young children.  The median survival rate is less than one year after diagnosis.  To date, there are no chemotherapeutic or targeted agents that have proven to be beneficial for treatment of these cancers. 

Dr. Becher leads one of very few laboratories around the world that focus exclusively on this type of deadly brain cancer.  He is using a novel DIPG mouse model to study the function of proteins that drive tumor growth and to determine how novel anti-cancer drugs can inhibit tumor growth.  His goal is to identify the most effective drugs against this type of brain cancer and then translate these findings by testing the drugs in clinical trials for children afflicted with this type of brain cancer. 

Project Title: "Regional differences in central nervous system gliomagenesis"

Institution: Duke University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Darell D. Bigner, MD, PhD & Katherine E. Warren, MD

Cancer Type: Brain, Neuro-oncology

Research Area: Animal Models/Mouse Models

Mutations in the BRAF gene occur in 10-15% of colorectal cancers and predict poor outcome.  Drugs that block the action of mutant BRAF are under active clinical development, and one drug that blocks BRAF was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of metastatic melanoma.  However, these BRAF inhibitor drugs alone have not been effective in BRAF mutant colorectal cancer patients, suggesting that improved approaches are needed. 

Dr. Corcoran’s goal is to develop new treatment strategies for BRAF mutant colorectal cancer.  Through a combination of laboratory studies and clinical trials, he plans to identify other key survival signals in BRAF mutant colorectal cancers that can be targeted, in combination with BRAF inhibitors, to improve treatment response in BRAF mutant colorectal cancer patients.  Ultimately, he aims to develop novel effective treatments for patients with this lethal subtype of colorectal cancer.

Project Title: "Defining novel targeted therapy combination strategies for BRAF V600 mutant colorectal cancer"

Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Jeffrey A. Engelman, MD, PhD and Keith T. Flaherty, MD

Cancer Type: Colorectal

Research Area: Experimental Therapeutics

There are multiple different subtypes of breast cancer defined by distinct tumor characteristics and unique clinical consequences.  Among women with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, one of the more aggressive subtypes, recurrence of the cancer in the brain is common—occurring in approximately 30% of patients.  Presently, there are systemic therapies capable of controlling HER2-positive breast cancer in most parts of the body; however, there are very few agents capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and controlling HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to the brain, or brain metastases. 

Dr. Anders is focused on improving survival for women with breast cancer brain metastases.  She has identified a promising therapeutic target: the PI3K/mTOR pathway, which is highly expressed in a panel of breast cancer brain metastases.  Everolimus (Afinitor), a small molecule inhibitor drug of mTOR, has shown activity in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer and crosses the blood-brain barrier.  She has developed a Phase II, multi-center clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of everolimus in combination with chemotherapy and HER2-directed therapy to treat women with progressive HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases.  She will conduct analyses to identify gene and protein expression patterns that may reflect response or resistance to this combination therapy.  Her goals are to provide a novel therapy for women who, at present, have few therapeutic options, while laying the foundation for future clinical trials incorporating biomarkers to enhance therapeutic response and survival for women with HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases.

Project Title: "mTOR inhibition in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases"

Institution: University of North Carolina

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Lisa A. Carey, MD, and Charles M. Perou, PhD

Cancer Type: Breast

Research Area: Experimental Therapeutics

Dr. Otten [HHMI Fellow] is investigating the catalytic mechanism of protein kinases, an important family of proteins that are present in bacteria, plants and humans. These proteins play a central role in signal transduction pathways and orchestrating the cell cycle; aberrant activity, however, has been shown to cause certain human cancers. A firm grasp of their mechanism is thus of great interest, from a fundamental point of view and also because it holds promise for the development of new therapeutics.

Project Title: "Mechanism of kinases at atomic resolution"

Institution: Brandeis University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Dorothee Kern, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biophysics

Dr. Sweeney [HHMI Fellow] is using the frog as a model to study how neurons diversify in the spinal cord as limbs develop and a swimming tadpole becomes a hopping frog. Many different types of nerve cells, each with their own unique characteristics, make up the healthy nervous system. Understanding how a cell’s fate is specified will provide the basis for understanding how cancer reprograms a cell.

Project Title: "Spinal circuit remodeling during developmental transitions in motor behavioral strategy"

Institution: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Christopher R. Kintner, PhD, and Thomas M. Jessell, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Developmental Neurobiology

Dr. Hall [Dale F. and Betty Ann Frey Fellow] is investigating the biochemical and metabolic pathways that regulate the activity of the protein RORγ/γt, which has crucial importance in metabolism and immune system homeostasis. It is also linked to the development of chronic inflammation, a known trigger and promoter of certain tumor types. Understanding the regulation of RORγ/γt will facilitate the development of new therapeutics to manage chronic inflammatory disease and prevent tumorigenesis.

Project Title: "Regulation of the ligand for retinoic acid receptor related orphan receptor gamma t"

Institution: New York University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Dan R. Littman, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: Colorectal

Research Area: Basic Immunology

Dr. Kleiner is studying proteins called microtubules, which play a crucial role in the maintenance and proliferation of cancer cells. Microtubules form the cytoskeleton (the cellular “scaffold”), and their function is regulated, in part, by chemical modifications or “flags” on the microtubule proteins. He aims to combine chemical, biochemical and biophysical approaches to better explain the role of these modifications on cell physiology and drug sensitivity. These studies will enable the identification of novel strategies for improving the efficacy of existing microtubule-targeted cancer drugs.

Project Title: "Investigating the importance of post-translational microtubule modification using recombinant acetylated tubulin"

Institution: The Rockefeller University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Tarun M. Kapoor, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chemical Biology

Dr. McGinty is examining the structure and function of enzymes called methyltransferases. As these enzymes are commonly misregulated in human leukemias, an understanding of their normal function may provide insight into novel platforms for drug development.

Project Title: "Structural studies of the MLL1 core methyltransferase complex"

Institution: Pennsylvania State University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Song Tan, PhD

Cancer Type: Leukemias

Research Area: Chromatin Biology

Dr. Moravcevic [HHMI Fellow] is studying sleep deprivation, which leads to an increased risk of several diseases including cancer. Little is currently known about the function of sleep or about the molecular mechanisms that control the need to sleep. To begin to understand why sleep deprivation has such a negative impact on human health, she will address how and why the need to sleep builds up after prolonged wakefulness. She will use fruit flies as a model system to determine the genetic and molecular basis of sleep homeostasis.

Project Title: "Investigating the genetic and neurochemical basis of sleep homeostasis"

Institution: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Amita Sehgal, PhD

Cancer Type: Breast, Colorectal

Research Area: Basic Genetics

[Nadia's Gift Foundation Innovator]

Tumor-associated immune cells called macrophages are a key component of the tumor microenvironment and often portend a poor prognosis.  Macrophages are critical regulators of tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.  Interestingly, the function of macrophages is dependent on their surrounding microenvironment such that under certain conditions, macrophages can actually become tumor-suppressive.  The central hypothesis of Dr. Beatty’s work is that macrophages are an important yet pliable factor in tumor behavior, which can be therapeutically targeted and instructed to attack tumors and inhibit tumor growth.

Dr. Beatty will evaluate strategies to engineer macrophages to attack tumors and to resist signals produced within tumors that ordinarily prime macrophages with tumor-promoting properties.  He aims to combine these macrophage-directed approaches with standard chemotherapy.  The priority is to develop the necessary data to facilitate the rapid translation of this strategic approach to the clinic for treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer and other malignancies.

Project Title: "Targeting macrophages for cancer therapy"

Institution: University of Pennsylvania

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Immunotherapy

Dr. Chen aims to understand the relationship between small RNAs and cancer. Small RNAs are important regulators of genetic networks inside the cell; perturbation of these networks can lead to malignant cell growth. His goal is to develop anti-cancer drugs and therapies by targeting the process of small RNA production.

Project Title: "Investigation of Dicer as a novel therapeutic route towards the inhibition of tumorigenesis and neoplastic growth"

Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Phillip A. Sharp, PhD

Cancer Type: Sarcomas

Research Area: Cancer Genetics

Dr. Phanstiel is studying transcription factors (TF), proteins that bind to DNA and regulate gene expression. The mechanism for this regulation can include the formation or maintenance of DNA loop structures. He is using a method called chromatin interaction analysis by paired-end tag sequencing (ChIA-PET) to map TF-DNA binding sites and associated DNA loops in a variety of human cell lines. This research is expected to increase our understanding of the mechanisms controlling gene expression in humans, thus providing insights into cancer and other diseases.

Project Title: "Exploring the regulatory role of long-range chromatin interactions"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Michael P. Snyder, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Genomics

Dr. Harner aims to identify new proteins implicated in cancer development and progression, and understand how to block their function using small molecules.  Her goal is to demonstrate the therapeutic utility of inhibiting ATAD2, a protein that promotes the expression of genes important for cell cycle progression and survival.  ATAD2 is overexpressed in prostate and breast cancers, and its presence is correlated with poor prognosis.  She will use high-resolution structural information to design drug-like small molecules that bind to the bromodomain of ATAD2 with high affinity and prevent it from activating gene transcription.  ATAD2 inhibitors will be tested in a panel of prostate and breast cancer cell lines to examine whether they halt cell growth, thus establishing ATAD2’s validity as a therapeutic target. 

Project Title: "Discovery of ATAD2 inhibitors for cancer treatment"

Institution: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Stephen W. Fesik, PhD

Cancer Type: Pancreatic

Research Area: Structural Biology

Dr. Wang [Robert Black Fellow] is studying Bacteroides fragilis, a common human gut bacterium that protects against inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in experimental models. This project will explore the mechanisms that contribute to bacterial colonization and long‐term maintenance in the gut. By combining bioinformatics, molecular genetics, protein biochemistry and innovative animal disease models, she hopes to better understand host‐microbe and microbe‐microbe interactions in the complex mammalian gut environment, and to potentially utilize B. fragilis as a preventative and therapeutic against IBD and/or colon cancer.

Project Title: "Diversity generating retroelement-mediated surface-protein display in Bacteroides fragilis and its roles in host-microbe interactions"

Institution: University of California, Los Angeles

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Jeffery F. Miller, PhD

Cancer Type: Colorectal

Research Area: Microbiology

Dr. Skene is studying the mechanisms underlying how cells maintain a specific gene expression profile unique to that cell type. While current technologies allow the reprogramming of differentiated cells into stem cells, the therapeutic use of this technology is limited due to the inefficiency of the process. He aims to improve the reprogramming process through a greater understanding of how cells reactivate stem cell genes. Stem cells have great potential in regenerative medicine, such as in renewing bone marrow following chemotherapy during cancer treatment.

Project Title: "Transcriptional memory in iPS cells: suppression of H3.3 deposition to increase therapeutic potential"

Institution: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Mark T. Groudine, MD, PhD, and Steven Henikoff, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Leukemias, Lymphomas, Myeloma

Research Area: Stem Cell Biology

Dr. Sabin is studying the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in blood cell development. Although the precise function of most lncRNAs remains unclear, certain lncRNAs are involved in regulating gene expression and may therefore be important for proper blood cell maturation. Since several types of cancers arise from blood cell progenitors, understanding how lncRNAs function in these cells may provide novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Project Title: "The role of long noncoding RNAs in normal hematopoiesis and malignant transformation"

Institution: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Gregory J. Hannon, PhD

Cancer Type: Leukemias, Lymphomas

Research Area: Epigenetics

Dr. Yue is investigating the role of Leptin receptor signaling in blood stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells, HSCs). Leptin signals the nutritional status of the body and tightly controls energy metabolism and body weight. Interestingly, bone marrow stromal cells surrounding HSCs express very high levels of Leptin receptor; it is therefore possible that HSCs, which can initiate leukemia in pathological conditions, are regulated by nutritional changes in the microenvironment through Leptin signaling. These studies may enable successful HSC expansion and transplantation after chemotherapy in leukemia patients, and may also help prevent or treat other types of cancer.

Project Title: "Functional analysis of leptin receptor signaling in hematopoietic stem cells and perivascular niche"

Institution: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Sean J. Morrison, PhD

Cancer Type: Leukemias

Research Area: Stem Cell Biology

Dr. Popp [HHMI Fellow] is focusing on the quality control mechanisms that cells utilize at the RNA level to ensure proper gene expression. Cells inspect and destroy aberrant mRNA messages using decay pathways; dysregulation of these RNA decay systems is implicated in various cancers. He will apply a new genetic screening method to identify components of RNA decay pathways and learn more about their role in cancer.

Project Title: "A haploid genetic approach towards defining RNA decay mechanisms in mammalian cells"

Institution: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Lynne E. Maquat, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: RNA

Understanding proteins dysregulated in cancer is a vital step toward the discovery of effective targets for treatment.  Many cellular enzymes demonstrate aberrant activity in cancer, and a significant subset of them contain cysteine amino acid residues required for their function. 

Dr. Weerapana aims to use sophisticated chemical genetic approaches to develop novel small molecules that selectively target these cysteines, thus blocking protein function.  Her goal is to create a “chemical library” of these small molecules and use this library to identify compounds that affect cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion in breast and ovarian cancer cell lines.  The cellular protein targets of these molecules will be identified, followed by analysis of their roles in cancer development and progression.  This multidisciplinary approach, encompassing aspects of synthetic chemistry, cell biology and proteomics, will identify new therapeutic targets and small molecule drug candidates for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Project Title: "Targeting reactive cysteine residues for cancer therapy"

Institution: Boston College

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chemical Biology

Recent genome sequencing studies have identified a large set of candidate genetic mutations implicated in a diverse range of cancer types.  However, in order to determine the causal role of each mutation in disease risk and pathology, researchers must be able to test each mutation individually in cellular or animal models.  This is severely limited by the difficulty of manipulating the genome of cells and organisms with precise control so that a specific disease can be definitively linked to single changes in the genome.

To address this challenge, Dr. Zhang proposes to engineer a comprehensive set of novel molecular tools to enable targeted modification of the mammalian genome.  He will demonstrate the power of these tools by testing genetic mutations associated with neuroblastoma and glioma brain tumors.  The development and application of these tools will establish a powerful new platform for investigating the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms of cancer and will inform drug development.  To ensure maximal benefit and impact for the cancer community and beyond, he will also facilitate teaching and rapid open-source distribution of all tools developed.

Project Title: "Development and application of genome and epigenome engineering tools for cancer research"

Institution: The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: Brain, Neuro-oncology

Research Area: Biomedical Engineering

Most early detection strategies for cancer focus on identifying protein biomarkers or “molecular signatures” of disease.  However, discovery of new biomarkers has lagged, due in large part to the inability to efficiently sift through complex cellular protein mixtures.  As a result, the number of new FDA-approved biomarker tests has declined over the last decade, and the current rate of biomarker validation is only one per year.

As proteins can be very large, they are typically cleaved into smaller units called peptides for identification and analysis.  The current technology for peptide identification is very slow and lacks the sensitivity and specificity required to quantify proteins in complex samples.  Dr. Hesselberth proposes that a massive acceleration in the rate of peptide sequencing would significantly impact biomarker research.  To accomplish this, he seeks to develop a highly parallel peptide sequencing platform with single molecule resolution that is orders of magnitude faster than existing technology.  This new approach would transform our capability to identify protein and peptide biomarkers for use in the early detection of cancer.

Project Title: "Peptide identification by massively-parallel sequencing"

Institution: University of Colorado Denver

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Proteomics

Cellular proteins are often modified with a “flag” that affects their function.  One such modification is the monosaccharide N-acetyl-glucosamine (O-GlcNAc), which is required for normal development and proper regulation of many biological pathways.  During metabolism, elevated glucose levels result in elevated O-GlcNAc modification of proteins. 

One common feature of all cancers is an altered metabolism that helps to protect cancer cells from the challenging environments they encounter during tumorigenesis and metastasis.  Dr. Pratt has uncovered a link between this change in metabolism and O-GlcNAc modification of proteins, which directly contributes to the proliferation and survival of cancer cells.  He seeks to understand the details of this link and exactly how it contributes to disease.  This approach will lead to a more complete understanding of how metabolism promotes cancer and may uncover new opportunities for treatment.

Project Title: "O-GIcNAc as a "sweet" link between metabolism and survival in cancer"

Institution: University of Southern California

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chemical Biology

Dr. Trapnell studies the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer. When tissue is damaged (e.g. by radiation or carcinogens), this class of genes may cause cancer or make it more difficult to treat. Using software and mathematics that he has developed for the analysis of massive-scale sequencing data, he aims to discover which genes are misregulated by lncRNA in tumor cells. This research may lead to the discovery of lncRNAs that could be targeted to halt cancer progression.

Project Title: "Globally characterizing lncRNA oncogenes with next-generation transcriptomics"

Institution: Harvard University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): John L. Rinn, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: RNA

Dr. Ward [HHMI Fellow] is studying key genetic pathways that may play a role in development of neurons in the Drosophila olfactory system. Many of the genes in these pathways are also involved in cancer. Correct neuronal wiring in this system requires precise targeting of neuronal outgrowths (axons and dendrites); this targeting depends largely on cell-cell interactions mediated by cell surface molecules. The ultimate goal of this research is to identify the upstream cell surface effectors of these pathways, thus providing further insight into cancer signaling.

Project Title: "Investigations of cancer signaling pathways in Drosophila olfactory system development"

Institution: Stanford University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Liqun Luo, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Developmental Neurobiology

Dr. Ewald [Dennis and Marsha Dammerman Fellow] studies the relationship between the parasite Toxoplasma gondii and the host cell. Nearly every cell in the body is equipped with sensors to survey itself for evidence of infection. Once triggered, these sensors often lead to cell suicide and the recruitment of immune cells to control the infection. She hopes to identify novel pathogen sensors that can be exploited to develop selective anti-tumor therapies.

Project Title: "Innate immune detection of Toxoplasma gondii in the host cell cytosol"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): John C. Boothroyd, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Infectious Disease

Dr. Youk [HHMI Fellow] aims to use quantitative models and experiments in yeast to unravel the central principles that enable cells to adhere to and communicate with each other in multicellular clusters. He is also investigating general strategies that these cells use to collectively process information and respond to biochemical signals that are present outside the cluster. These studies will lead to a better understanding of how multicellular clusters, such as tumors, develop and are maintained.

Project Title: "Synthetic development: Elucidating principles for genetically encoding simple multicellular architectures using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Wendell A. Lim, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Microbiology

Dr. Buck [Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., MD Fellow] is studying the role of ubiquitin protein signals in the maintenance of genome integrity. Since components of the ubiquitin system are often highly conserved from yeast to humans, yeast is ideally suited for the study of this complex process using a combination of functional genomics and biochemistry. The insights gained from the proposed studies may identify additional targets to combat cancer.

Project Title: "Understanding the physiological relevance of distinct polyubiquitin chains in the maintenance of genome integrity"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): David P. Toczyski, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chromosome and Telomere Biology

Dr. Sarin [Marion Abbe Fellow] is studying how neurons use unique molecules on their cell surface to recognize one another during development. Such recognition is critical in ensuring appropriate spatial patterning and normal organ formation. A hallmark of cancerous cells is the inappropriate reactivation of cell migration, and the disruption of these patterns.

Project Title: "A molecular mechanism of spatial pattern formation in the vertebrate retina"

Institution: Harvard University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Joshua R. Sanes, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Neuroscience

Dr. Lu [Merck Fellow] is investigating the role of Hedgehog signaling in the regenerative response triggered by tissue injury, and in the interactions of tissue stem cells with their surrounding microenvironment during the initiation and growth of malignant tumors.  A mechanistic understanding of regeneration and tumorigenesis together will provide a basis for more effective cancer therapies.

Project Title: "Role of Hedgehog signaling pathway in injury-inducible regenerative response and cancer development"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Philip A. Beachy, PhD

Cancer Type: Bladder

Research Area: Signal Transduction

Dr. Jan [Rebecca Ridley Kry Fellow] is developing novel methods to examine the spatial control of gene expression within the cell. During gene expression, mRNAs are translated into proteins at different locations in the cell, which determines cell shape and behavior. Spatially localized mRNA translation influences cell adhesion and migration, both of which are disrupted in cancer—particularly during metastasis.

Project Title: "Studying translation with subcellular resolution"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Jonathan S. Weissman, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Righini [Merck Fellow] aims to characterize the dynamics of protein synthesis (translation). His research will permit a deeper understanding of this process and will provide insight on how it can be controlled. He will build a detailed model of translation, which may suggest new strategies for cancer therapy.

Project Title: "Single molecule translation control"

Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Carlos Bustamante, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biophysics

Dr. Shibata [HHMI Fellow] focuses on specialized protein quality control (QC) mechanisms in the cell, which ensure the proper folding of new proteins and the disposal of mature ones that no longer perform their duties adequately. Protein QC in the cell nucleus likely plays a pivotal role in protecting the integrity of the genome, but very little is known about this pathway. She aims to identify the network of components that make up the nuclear protein QC system. Cancer cells rely on protein QC pathways to proliferate uncontrollably, and the identification of the QC components may provide new therapeutic targets against cancer.

Project Title: "Identifying protein quality control mechanisms in the nucleus"

Institution: Northwestern University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Richard I. Morimoto, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Huang [Kandis Ann Ulrich-Carleton Fellow] is investigating the mechanism of how an ion channel protein promotes brain tumor growth. He hypothesizes that medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain cancer, utilizes a specific ion channel for its uncontrolled growth and metastasis. By exploring the functional roles of the ion channel in medulloblastoma, his goal is to identify new prognostic markers for tumor diagnosis and potentially develop novel cancer therapies.

Project Title: "Functional significance of potassium channel EAG2 in medulloblastoma"

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Lily Y. Jan, PhD

Cancer Type:

Research Area: Animal Models/Mouse Models

Dr. Lu [Jake Wetchler Foundation Fellow for Pediatric Innovation] aims to develop antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that can specifically recognize and kill acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cancer cells. His goal is to generate highly specific ADCs that will attack tumor cells without having harmful effects on normal cells. This work may identify new clinical candidate drugs with optimized efficacy.

Project Title: "Homogeneous antibody-drug conjugates containing unnatural amino acid for targeted AML therapy"

Institution: The Scripps Research Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Peter G. Schultz, PhD

Cancer Type: Leukemias

Research Area: Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Chan [HHMI Fellow] is focusing on how cells slow their growth rate in response to stress. He aims to understand how stress signals are relayed to the cellular machinery that directs cell growth. Because tumor cells are constantly under stress yet display unregulated growth, it is critical to understand how stress signaling and growth control are coordinated. This research may lead to new understanding of how a broad range of cancers can be therapeutically targeted.

Project Title: "Determining the mechanism of stress-induced ribosomal protein mRNA degradation"

Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Karsten Weis, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Breslow [Connie and Bob Lurie Fellow] is studying the primary cilium, a cellular structure that enables cells to sense and respond to specific external cues. While disruptions to primary cilia are known to promote tumor formation and cause developmental defects, how cilia orchestrate these processes remains poorly understood. He is using a combination of genetic, biochemical and imaging approaches to investigate how lipid molecules contribute to the unique functions of cilia.

Project Title: "Dissecting the functions of phosphoinositide lipids in the primary cilium"

Institution: Stanford University

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Maxence V. Nachury, PhD

Cancer Type: Brain, Neuro-oncology, Kidney, Pancreatic, Skin

Research Area: Cell Biology

Dr. Batista [Kenneth G. and Elaine A. Langone Fellow] is investigating how long noncoding (lnc) RNAs are regulated. lncRNAs form a vital link between the information encoded in the genome and the instructions recorded at the epigenetic level. Both proteins and DNA are extensively regulated through modifications, but the impact of similar modifications on lncRNAs remains to be explored. Understanding how lncRNAs are regulated will lead to a better understanding of gene expression, and may allow the development of powerful tools for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Project Title: "Role of RNA modifications in lncRNA function"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Howard Y. Chang, MD, PhD

Cancer Type: Breast, Leukemias

Research Area: Epigenetics

Dr. Schmidt [Norman B. Leventhal Fellow] focuses on the brain cancer glioblastoma multiforme, one of the most malignant, invasive and difficult-to-treat brain tumors. He aims to develop innovative research tools (bioengineered molecules) to investigate the role of critical proteins, ion channels, in glioblastoma growth and metastasis. These findings will lead to a better understanding of how ion channel disorders contribute to cancer development. Ion channels may represent new targets for cancer therapy.

Project Title: "Molecular-targeted reagents to probe the role of ion channels in glioblastoma oncogenesis, proliferation, and migration"

Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Edward S. Boyden, PhD

Cancer Type: Brain, Neuro-oncology

Research Area: Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Scott-Browne [Fraternal Order of Eagles Fellow] is studying a recently identified modification of DNA, called 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, to understand how it controls expression of different genes and influences the development of immune cells. As this DNA modification is mutated in certain leukemias, his research may lead to new understanding of these cancers.

Project Title: "Function and genomic stability of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine"

Institution: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Anjana Rao, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers, Leukemias

Research Area: Epigenetics

Dr. Sims is using biochemistry and mathematical modeling to study the molecular mechanisms by which cells commit to programmed cell death. Tumor cells acquire changes that allow them to evade this fate, a property that is critical for disease progression and often underlies resistance to treatment.

Project Title: "Regulation of mitochondrial apoptosis"

Institution: Harvard Medical School

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Peter K. Sorger, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Cell Death

A great deal of cancer research focuses on investigating the methods by which tumors cope with damage to their DNA.  Less is known about the ways cancer cells deal with damage to any of the thousands of proteins necessary for cell survival.  Cancerous cells often occupy environments that subject them to numerous stresses, including oxygen and nutrient depletion, which can lead to protein damage or misfolding.  To survive and proliferate in these conditions, cancer cells use specific protective mechanisms to destroy or restore damaged proteins; in contrast, normal cells would die in such surroundings. 

Cancer cells may, for example, activate degradation pathways to do away with dysfunctional proteins.  Dr. Elias proposes that cancer cells may also promote long-term survival by dividing asymmetrically, thus producing one daughter cell free of damaged proteins.  To test these ideas, he will measure the lifetimes of damaged proteins, model the processes cancer cells use to dispose of proteins, and investigate the ways by which these methods contribute to tumor formation.  By understanding the mechanisms cancer cells depend on to escape death and promote growth, he hopes to discover new treatments and diagnostics, as well as ways to better target existing therapeutics to individual patients’ cancers.

Project Title: "How cancers cope with damage: a proteomics approach"

Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Proteomics

Despite decades of research, how cell growth and proliferation are coordinated with the metabolism in a cell has remained a critical unresolved question.  Understanding these specific mechanisms would address the long-standing question of how cells assess their metabolic and nutritional state to decide when to proliferate.

Dr. Tu has discovered a key mechanism by which carbon sources, such as glucose, signal cells to grow and divide; these studies were conducted in the model organism, baker's yeast.   His goal is to investigate these mechanisms in mammalian cells and determine whether such mechanisms can be exploited to selectively kill rapidly proliferating cancer cells.  He also aims to explore whether novel, unconventional metabolic strategies might be highly effective for the treatment of a variety of cancers.

Project Title: "A novel strategy for attacking tumors based on the identification of a fundamental carbon-source signal driving cell growth"

Institution: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biochemistry

Nutrient metabolism in cancer cells is different from that in most normal cells.  This metabolic difference has not yet been exploited for therapy. 

Dr. Vander Heiden aims to rigorously define how altered cell metabolism contributes to cancer cell proliferation; he seeks to elucidate exactly how nutrients are used by cancer cells.  This approach will lead to a better understanding of how specific metabolic pathways are used to help cancer cells grow, and holds the key to targeting metabolism for better cancer treatments.

Project Title: "Understanding the metabolic requirements of cancer cells"

Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biochemistry

About one half of the human genome is occupied by sequences of DNA called transposable elements that can move within the genome, damaging normal genes and causing mutations or chromosomal rearrangements.  Often referred to as “junk DNA,” several lines of research highlight the importance of transposable elements in cancer development.

Dr. Aravin’s goal is to comprehensively investigate the role that transposable elements play in cancer.  He will study how transposable elements mobilize, their effect on gene regulation, and how they contribute to cancer initiation and growth.  His research will provide a better understanding of tumorigenesis and may form the basis for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cancer.

Project Title: "Epigenetic regulation of transposable elements in cancer"

Institution: California Institute of Technology

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Epigenetics

The ability to undergo cell division is encoded in the genomes of all human cells. This process requires a symphony of growth genes to be turned on, and then silenced when cell division is no longer needed. The activation of the growth program in healthy cells is conducted by a small number of master regulatory genes called transcription factors. In contrast, abnormal unrestricted cell growth is encoded in the genomes of all cancer cells. This uncontrolled growth is attributable to acquired mutations in the genome, which result in hyperactivity of the master regulators. Many people in the field of cancer research regard these master regulators as the most desirable targets for drug discovery. Unfortunately, developing drugs against these proteins has proven to be technically difficult.

Dr. Bradner is using new chemical approaches to develop small molecule drugs directed at the master regulators of cancer cell growth. The primary focus of his efforts is a master regulator called Myc. Abnormal activation of Myc is one of the most common events in all human cancers. By targeting Myc in cancer cells, he hopes to discover new, prototype drugs that can be used as more effective targeted anti-cancer agents.

Project Title: "Targeting epigenetic readers as cancer therapy"

Institution: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): n/a

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chemical Biology

Dr. Moellering [HHMI Fellow] is investigating whether cancer cells use small molecule signaling, known as quorum-sensing, to communicate and thus control tumor initiation, growth and metastasis. Such mechanisms are well characterized in other complex cellular populations, such as bacteria, but none have been discovered yet in human cancer. Understanding this form of cancer cell communication will provide insights into many aspects of tumor progression and may identify new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Project Title: "Characterization of novel pathogenic pathways in cancer: do tumor cells use quorum-sensing molecules to support malignancy?"

Institution: The Scripps Research Institute

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Benjamin F. Cravatt, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Chemical Biology

Dr. Lu [Lallage Feazel Wall Fellow] is designing a novel technique to study cellular reactions called ubiquitination and deubiquitination, which are essential for normal biological processes and are often mutated in cancer. He will examine single molecules in cell extracts, with the goal of gaining insights into the role of these reactions in cancer development and growth.

Project Title: "Single-molecular study of ubiquitination/deubiquitination kinetics in cell extracts"

Institution: Harvard Medical School

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Marc W. Kirschner, PhD

Cancer Type: All cancers

Research Area: Biophysics