School of Medicine


Showing 451-500 of 638 Results

  • Claudia Katharina Petritsch

    Claudia Katharina Petritsch

    Associate Professor (Research) of Neurosurgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Petritsch lab broadly investigates underlying causes for the intra-tumoral heterogeneity and immune suppression in brain tumors from a neuro-developmental perspective. Defective cell fate decisions fuel the intra-humoral heterogeneity and plasticity in human brain tumors and may contribute to immune suppression. We use patient-derived models as avatars to study how brain cells control the fate of their progeny, whereby we unravel novel points of vulnerabilities in brain tumor cells.

  • Dmitri Petrov

    Dmitri Petrov

    Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsEvolution of genomes and population genomics of adaptation and variation

  • Suzanne Pfeffer

    Suzanne Pfeffer

    Emma Pfeiffer Merner Professor of Medical Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe major focus of our research is to understand the molecular basis of inherited Parkinson's Disease (PD). We focus on the LRRK2 kinase that is inappropriately activated in PD and how it phosphorylates Rab GTPases, blocking the formation of primary cilia in specific regions of the brain. The absence of primary cilia renders cells unable to carry out Hedgehog signaling that is critical for neuroprotective pathways that sustain dopamine neurons.

  • Harlan Pinto

    Harlan Pinto

    Associate Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical Interests: general oncology, head and neck cancer Research Interests: chemoprevention trials and combined modality approaches to head and neck cancer

  • Sharon Pitteri

    Sharon Pitteri

    Associate Professor (Research) of Radiology (Cancer Early Detection-Canary Center)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Pitteri laboratory is focused on the discovery and validation of proteins that can be used as molecular indicators of risk, diagnosis, progression, and recurrence of cancer. Proteomic technologies, predominantly mass spectrometry, are used to identify proteins in the blood that are differentially regulated and/or post-translationally modified with disease state. Using human plasma samples, tumor tissue, cancer cell lines, and genetically engineered mouse models, the origins of these proteins are being investigated. A major goal of this research is to define novel molecular signatures for breast and ovarian cancers, including particular sub-types of these diseases. This laboratory is also focused on the identification of proteins with expression restricted to the surface of cancer cells which can be used as novel targets for molecular imaging technologies.

  • Philip A. Pizzo, M.D.

    Philip A. Pizzo, M.D.

    David and Susan Heckerman Professor, Emeritus

    BioPhilip Pizzo, MD, is the David and Susan Heckerman Professor and Founding Director of the Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute. Pizzo served as Dean of the Stanford School of Medicine from April 2001 to December 1, 2012, where he was also the Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Professor of Pediatrics and of Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Pizzo has devoted much of his distinguished medical career to the diagnosis, management, prevention and treatment of childhood cancers and the infectious complications that occur in children whose immune systems are compromised by cancer and AIDS. He has also been a leader in academic medicine, championing programs and policies to improve the future of science, education and healthcare in the US and beyond.
    Pizzo received his MD degree with Honors and Distinction in Research from the University of Rochester in 1970, and completed an internship and residency at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Boston, a teaching fellowship at Harvard Medical School, and a clinical and research fellowship in pediatric oncology at the National Cancer Institute. Pizzo served as head of the Institute’s infectious disease section, chief of the NCI’s pediatric department, and acting scientific director for NCI’s Division of Clinical Sciences between 1973 and 1996. Before joining Stanford in 2001, he was the physician-in-chief of Children’s Hospital in Boston and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, where he was also the Thomas Morgan Rotch Professor of Pediatrics.
    Dr. Pizzo is the author of more than 615 scientific articles and 16 books and monographs, including Principles and Practice of Pediatric Oncology, the Seventh Edition of which was published in 2015.
    Pizzo has received numerous awards and honors, among them the Public Health Service Outstanding Service Medal in 1995, the Barbara Bohen Pfiefer Award for Scientific Excellence in 1991, the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Award in 2008, the Ronald McDonald Charities “Award of Excellence” in 2009, and the John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award in 2013. He is the 2012 recipient of the John Howland Award, the highest honor for lifetime achievement bestowed by the American Pediatric Society. He has been elected to a number of prestigious organizations and societies, including the Association of American Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the American Pediatric Society and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, where he was also elected to the Governing Council. The IOM became the National Academy of Medicine in 2015. He has served as Chair of the Association of Academic Health Centers and Chair of the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges, and was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Society for Clinical Oncology and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He was President of the International Immunocompromised Host Society (1998-2011). He served on the Governing Board for the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine from 2004-2012. In 2009 he was elected to the Board of Trustees of the University of Rochester and the Board of Overseers of Koc University in Istanbul, Turkey. He was a member of the Board of Directors of MRI Interventions (2013-2017) and the Academic Advisory Council for Merritt Hawkins (2015-present). In 2014 he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and in 2015 he was elected to the Board of Directors of Global Blood Therapeutics. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Current Opinion in Pediatrics.

  • Sylvia K. Plevritis, PhD

    Sylvia K. Plevritis, PhD

    William M. Hume Professor in the School of Medicine and Professor of Radiology (Integrative Biomedical Imaging Informatics at Stanford)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research program focuses on computational modeling of cancer biology and cancer outcomes. My laboratory develops stochastic models of the natural history of cancer based on clinical research data. We estimate population-level outcomes under differing screening and treatment interventions. We also analyze genomic and proteomic cancer data in order to identify molecular networks that are perturbed in cancer initiation and progression and relate these perturbations to patient outcomes.

  • Jonathan Pollack

    Jonathan Pollack

    Professor of Pathology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch in the Pollack lab centers on translational genomics, with a focus on human cancer. The lab employs next-generation sequencing, single-cell genomics, genome editing, and cell/tissue-based modeling to uncover disease mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Current areas of emphasis include diseases of the prostate (prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia), as well as odontogenic neoplasms.

  • Matthew Porteus

    Matthew Porteus

    Sutardja Chuk Professor of Definitive and Curative Medicine

    BioDr. Porteus was raised in California and was a local graduate of Gunn High School before completing A.B. degree in “History and Science” at Harvard University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and wrote an thesis entitled “Safe or Dangerous Chimeras: The recombinant DNA controversy as a conflict between differing socially constructed interpretations of recombinant DNA technology.” He then returned to the area and completed his combined MD, PhD at Stanford Medical School with his PhD focused on understanding the molecular basis of mammalian forebrain development with his PhD thesis entitled “Isolation and Characterization of TES-1/DLX-2: A Novel Homeobox Gene Expressed During Mammalian Forebrain Development.” After completion of his dual degree program, he was an intern and resident in Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital and then completed his Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship in the combined Boston Chidlren’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute program. For his fellowship and post-doctoral research he worked with Dr. David Baltimore at MIT and CalTech where he began his studies in developing homologous recombination as a strategy to correct disease causing mutations in stem cells as definitive and curative therapy for children with genetic diseases of the blood, particularly sickle cell disease. Following his training with Dr. Baltimore, he took an independent faculty position at UT Southwestern in the Departments of Pediatrics and Biochemistry before again returning to Stanford in 2010 as an Associate Professor. During this time his work has been the first to demonstrate that gene correction could be achieved in human cells at frequencies that were high enough to potentially cure patients and is considered one of the pioneers and founders of the field of genome editing—a field that now encompasses thousands of labs and several new companies throughout the world. His research program continues to focus on developing genome editing by homologous recombination as curative therapy for children with genetic diseases but also has interests in the clonal dynamics of heterogeneous populations and the use of genome editing to better understand diseases that affect children including infant leukemias and genetic diseases that affect the muscle. Clinically, Dr. Porteus attends at the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital where he takes care of pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

  • George A. Poultsides, MD, MS

    George A. Poultsides, MD, MS

    Professor of Surgery (General Surgery)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical trials of experimental diagnostics and therapeutics; outcomes analysis following combined modality treatment of hepatic, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal malignancies.

  • Guillem Pratx

    Guillem Pratx

    Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology (Radiation Physics)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Physical Oncology Lab is interested in making a lasting impact on translational cancer research by building novel physical tools and methods.

  • Judith Prochaska

    Judith Prochaska

    Senior Associate Vice Provost, Clinical Research Governance and Professor of Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Prochaska's research expertise centers on technology-mediated health behavior change interventions including targets of tobacco, physical activity, and dietary change. Working with Alaska Native and Latino communities, people with serious mental illness, alcohol and drug problems, or heart disease, and jobseekers and the unhoused, Dr. Prochaska’s research combines stage-tailored interventions with pharmacotherapy and utilizes interactive expert system interventions and social media.

  • Carla Pugh, MD, PhD

    Carla Pugh, MD, PhD

    Thomas Krummel Professor

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Technology Enabled Clinical Improvement (T.E.C.I.) Center is a multidisciplinary team of researchers dedicated to the design and implementation of advanced engineering technologies that facilitate data acquisition relating to clinical performance.

  • Silvina Pugliese, MD

    Silvina Pugliese, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor, Dermatology

    BioSilvina Pugliese, M.D., is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Attending Physician at the Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center and Stanford Cancer Institute. She attended medical school at Boston University and completed her residency at Loma Linda, serving as Chief Resident in her final year. Dr. Pugliese practices Supportive Dermato-Oncology (SDO) at the Stanford main campus and also launched the South Bay Cancer Center's SDO Clinic in 2015. She is interested in the management of cutaneous complications associated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, organ transplantation, and their impact on patient quality of life.

  • Lei (Stanley) Qi

    Lei (Stanley) Qi

    Associate Professor of Bioengineering

    BioDr. Lei (Stanley) Qi is Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Sarafan ChEM-H, and a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator. Dr. Qi is a principal contributor to the development of CRISPR technologies for genome engineering beyond gene editing. His lab created the first nuclease-deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) for targeted gene regulation in cells. His lab has invented a CRISPR toolbox for engineering the epigenome, including CRISPRi and CRISPRa for targeted gene repression and activation, epigenome editing, LiveFISH for real-time DNA/RNA imaging, CRISPR-GO for 3D genome manipulation, CasMINI as a compact CRISPR system for gene therapy, hyperCas12a for multi-gene engineering, and CRISPR antivirals aimed at treating broad RNA viruses.

    Dr. Qi obtained B.S. in Physics and Math from Tsinghua University in 2005, and Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2012. He was a Systems Biology Faculty Fellow at UCSF between 2012-2014, and joined Stanford faculty in 2014. His research focuses on mammalian synthetic biology, epigenetic engineering, immune cell engineering, directed evolution, and novel approaches for gene therapy.

  • Stephen Quake

    Stephen Quake

    Lee Otterson Professor in the School of Engineering and Professor of Bioengineering, of Applied Physics and, by courtesy, of Physics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsSingle molecule biophysics, precision force measurement, micro and nano fabrication with soft materials, integrated microfluidics and large scale biological automation.

  • Sneha Ramakrishna

    Sneha Ramakrishna

    Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology)

    BioSneha Ramakrishna obtained her B. A. from the University of Chicago and her M.D. from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. In medical school, through the Howard Hughes Medical Research Scholar Award, she joined Dr. Crystal Mackall’s laboratory, where she designed and developed various GD2 CAR-Ts and tested them in preclinical models. During her residency training in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, she cared for some of the first patients treated with CD19 CAR T cells, learning the power of this therapy first-hand. During her fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the Johns Hopkins/National Cancer Institute combined program, she worked with Dr. Terry Fry. She evaluated the mechanism of CD22 CAR T cell relapse in patients by developing an antigen escape model and establishing a deeper understanding of the effects of antigen density on CAR-T phenotype, expansion, and persistence (Fry…Ramakrishna…Mackall Nat Med, 2018; Ramakrishna, et al., Clinical Cancer Research, 2019). Since arriving at Stanford, Dr. Ramakrishna leads an interdisciplinary team that designs, develops, and successfully implements a robust correlative science platform for our novel CAR-T therapies. Analyzing patient samples from our first-in-human GD2 CAR-T trial (NCT04196413) treating a universally fatal cancer, diffuse midline glioma (DMG), we identified that intracerebroventricular CAR-T administration correlates with enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduced immunosuppressive cell populations in cerebrospinal fluid as compared to intravenous CAR-T administration (Majzner*, Ramakrishna*, et al., Nature 2022 *co-first authors). Her research program evaluates unique sets of patient samples using novel single-cell immune profiling to identify the drivers of CAR-T success or failure. Building on these findings, her team assesses approaches to enhance CAR-T efficacy and translate these findings to the clinic.

    Clinically, Dr. Ramakrishna cares for children with solid tumors and treats hematologic, solid, and brain tumor pediatric patients with CAR T cell therapies in the Cancer Cellular Therapies program.

  • Kavitha Ramchandran

    Kavitha Ramchandran

    Clinical Professor, Medicine - Oncology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on innovative models of care delivey to understand how to integrate primary and specialist palliative care. We also do work in palliative care education and how to scale our education to be impactful and sustainable. We are evaluating online models.

    In cancer care I do research on novel therapeutics in thoracic malignancies including immunotherapy, new targeted agents, and new sequencing of approved drugs.

  • Jianghong Rao

    Jianghong Rao

    Professor of Radiology (Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford) and, by courtesy, of Chemistry

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsProbe chemistry and nanotechnology for molecular imaging and diagnostics

  • Lawrence Recht, MD

    Lawrence Recht, MD

    Professor of Neurology (Adult Neurology) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory focuses on two interrelated projects: (1) assessment of glioma development within the framework of the multistage model of carcinogenesis through utilization of the rodent model of ENU neurocarcinogenesis; and (2) assessment of stem cell specification and pluripotency using an embryonic stem cell model system in which neural differentiation is induced.

  • David Rehkopf

    David Rehkopf

    Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health) and, by courtesy, of Sociology, of Pediatrics and of Health Policy

    BioI am a social epidemiologist and serve as an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Primary Care and Population Health. I joined the faculty at Stanford School of Medicine in 2011.

    I am Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences. In this position, I am committed to making high-value data resources available to researchers across disciplines in order to better enable them to answer their most pressing clinical and population health questions.

    My own research is focused on understanding the health implications of the myriad decisions that are made by corporations and governments every day - decisions that profoundly shape the social and economic worlds in which we live and work. While these changes are often invisible to us on a daily basis, these seemingly minor actions and decisions form structural nudges that can create better or worse health at a population level. My work demonstrates the health implications of corporate and governmental decisions that can give the public and policy makers evidence to support new strategies for promoting health and well-being. In all of his work, I have a focus on the implications of these exposures for health inequalities.

    Since often policy and programmatic changes can take decades to influence health, my work also includes more basic research in understanding biological signals that may act as early warning signs of systemic disease, in particular accelerated aging. I examine how social and economic policy changes influence a range of early markers of disease and aging, with a particular recent focus on DNA methylation. I am supported by several grants from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to develop new more sensitive ways to understand the health implications of social and economic policy changes.

  • David A. Relman

    David A. Relman

    Thomas C. and Joan M. Merigan Professor and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
    On Partial Leave from 04/29/2024 To 10/30/2024

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy investigative program focuses on human-microbe interactions and human microbial ecology, and primarily concerns the ecology of human indigenous microbial communities; a secondary interest concerns the classification of humans with systemic infectious diseases, based on features of genome-wide gene transcript abundance patterns and pther aspects of the host response.

  • Nathan Reticker-Flynn, PhD

    Nathan Reticker-Flynn, PhD

    Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsTo metastasize throughout our bodies, tumors subvert and co-opt our immune systems. Our lab seeks to uncover how these processes occur and develops therapies to put a stop to them.

  • Andrew Rezvani, M.D.

    Andrew Rezvani, M.D.

    Associate Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical research in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

  • Thomas Robinson

    Thomas Robinson

    The Irving Schulman, M.D. Professor of Child Health, Professor of Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Robinson originated the solution-oriented research paradigm and directs the Stanford Solutions Science Lab. He is known for his pioneering obesity prevention and treatment research, including the concept of stealth interventions. His research applies social cognitive models of behavior change to behavioral, social, environmental and policy interventions for children and families in real world settings, making the results relevant for informing clinical and public health practice and policy.

  • William H. Robinson, MD PhD

    William H. Robinson, MD PhD

    James W. Raitt, M.D. Professor

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of and develops therapies to treat autoimmune and rheumatic diseases, with a focus on rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and osteoarthritis.

    The overriding objectives of our laboratory are:
    1. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying autoimmune and rheumatic diseases.
    2. To investigate the role of innate immune inflammation in osteoarthritis.
    3. To develop novel diagnostics and therapeutics

  • Stanley G. Rockson, MD

    Stanley G. Rockson, MD

    Allan and Tina Neill Professor of Lymphatic Research and Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy clinical research includes studies on risk factor modification in atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease; clinical trials involving medical therapies for peripheral arterial insufficiency; coronary angiogenesis; therapy of lymphedema; atherand photodynamic therapy in atherosclerosis.

  • Kacper Rogala

    Kacper Rogala

    Assistant Professor of Structural Biology and of Chemical and Systems Biology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur team is fascinated by how cells make growth decisions — to grow or not to grow. In order to grow, cells require nutrients, and we are unraveling how cells use specialized protein sensors and transporters to sense and traffic nutrients in between various compartments. We use approaches from structural biology, chemical biology, biophysics, biochemistry, and cell biology — to reveal the mechanisms of basic biological processes, and we develop chemical probes that modulate them.

  • Rajat Rohatgi

    Rajat Rohatgi

    Professor of Biochemistry and of Medicine (Oncology)

    Current Research and Scholarly Intereststhe overall goal of my laboratory is to uncover new regulatory mechanisms in signaling systems, to understand how these mechanisms are damaged in disease states, and to devise new strategies to repair their function.

  • Maria Grazia Roncarolo

    Maria Grazia Roncarolo

    George D. Smith Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch Interests
    Immunetolerance: Mechanisms underlying T-cell tolerance, induction of T-cell anergy and regulatory T cells; Immunomodulation: mAbs, proteins and low molecular weight compounds which can modulate T-cell activation; Primary immunodeficiencies: Characterization of molecular and immunological defects; Gene therapy: Gene transduction of hematopoietic cells for gene therapy in primary immunodeficiencies and metabolic diseases; Hematopoiesis: Mechanisms underlying growth and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells; Transplantation: Immune reconstitution and T-cell tolerance after allogenic stem cell transplantation; Cytokines/Cytokine receptors: Role in regulation of immune and inflammatory responses

    Clinical Interests
    Primary Immunodeficiencies
    Monogenic Autoimmune Disorders
    Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplantation
    Gene Therapy Clinical Trials
    Cell Therapy Clinical Trials
    Clinical Trials in Autoimmune Diseases and Organ Transplantation
    Clinical Trials in Hemoglobinopathies

  • Lisa Goldman Rosas

    Lisa Goldman Rosas

    Assistant Professor (Research) of Epidemiology and Population Health and of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health) and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics

    BioLisa Goldman Rosas, PhD MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and the Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford School of Medicine. An epidemiologist by training, Dr. Goldman Rosas’ research focuses on addressing disparities in chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, and cancer among racial/ethnic minority families. This research features rigorous quantitative and qualitative methodologies, participatory qualitative approaches, and shared leadership with patient and community partners. She is passionate about integrating patients, caregivers, community organizations, and other key stakeholders in the research process in order to affect the greatest improvements in health and well-being. As a reflection of this passion, Dr. Goldman Rosas serves as the Faculty Director for the School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement, Co-Director of Community-Engaged Research for the Office of Cancer Health Equity, and Director of the Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core for the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. In these roles, she supports other faculty and patient and community partners to develop sustainable and meaningful partnerships to support transformative research. In addition to research, she teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has a special focus on increasing diversity in biomedical research.

  • David Rosenthal

    David Rosenthal

    Professor of Pediatrics (Pediatric Cardiology)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch interests include the study of Heart Failure, Cardiomyopathy and ventricular dysfunction in children, from a clinical perspective. Investigations include clinical trials of medications, cardiac resynchronization, and mechanical circulatory support.

  • Daniel Rubin

    Daniel Rubin

    Professor of Biomedical Data Science, of Radiology (Integrative Biomedical Imaging Informatics at Stanford), of Medicine (Biomedical Informatics Research) and, by courtesy, of Ophthalmology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interest is imaging informatics--ways computers can work with images to leverage their rich information content and to help physicians use images to guide personalized care. Work in our lab thus lies at the intersection of biomedical informatics and imaging science.

  • Mirabela Rusu

    Mirabela Rusu

    Assistant Professor of Radiology (Integrative Biomedical Imaging Informatics) and, by courtesy, of Urology and of Biomedical Data Science

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Mirabela Rusu focuses on developing analytic methods for biomedical data integration, with a particular interest in radiology-pathology fusion. Such integrative methods may be applied to create comprehensive multi-scale representations of biomedical processes and pathological conditions, thus enabling their in-depth characterization.

  • Raya Saab

    Raya Saab

    Lindhard Family Professor of Pediatric Cancer Biology

    BioOur laboratory focuses on investigating molecular mechanisms of oncogene-induced tumorigenesis and tumor suppressor pathways, and oncogenic signaling in the pediatric solid tumor rhabdomyosarcoma. Our earlier work identified the tumor suppressors p53 and p18Ink4c as inhibitors of Cyclin D1-driven tumorigenesis in a pineoblastoma model, through senescence induction, and highlighted distinct roles for the the RB and p53 pathways in induction and maintenance of oncogene-induced senescence. We also identified CDK2 as a potential target for inducing senescence in premalignant lesions to inhibit tumor progression.
    Our current focus is on studying oncogenic signaling and tumor suppression in the childhood tumor rhabdomyosarcoma, to identify key mediators of invasion and metastasis, which is the most common cause of treatment failure clinically. We use preclinical in vitro and in vivo models, including murine and human cell lines, and mouse models of disease.
    We have recently uncovered a paracrine role for rhabdomyosarcoma-secreted exosomes in impacting biology of stromal cells. Rhabdomyosarcoma-derived exosomes carry specific miRNA cargo that imparts an invasive and migratory phenotype on normal recipient fibroblasts, and proteomic analysis revealed specific and unique pathways relevant to the two different molecular rhabdomyosarcoma subtypes that are driven by distinct oncogenic pathways. We identified that the driver oncogene in fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma, PAX3-FOXO1, modulates exosome cargo to promote invasion, migration, and angiogenic properties, and identified specific microRNA and protein cargo acting as effectors of PAX3-FOXO1 exosome-mediated signaling, including modulation of oxidative stress response and cell survival signaling.
    Our ongoing work is focused on interrogating specific paracrine signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of metastatic disease progression in rhabdomyosarcoma, for potential therapeutic targeting.

  • Chiara Sabatti

    Chiara Sabatti

    Professor of Biomedical Data Science and of Statistics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsStatistical models and reasoning are key to our understanding of the genetic basis of human traits. Modern high-throughput technology presents us with new opportunities and challenges. We develop statistical approaches for high dimensional data in the attempt of improving our understanding of the molecular basis of health related traits.

  • Julien Sage

    Julien Sage

    Elaine and John Chambers Professor of Pediatric Cancer and Professor of Genetics
    On Partial Leave from 04/22/2024 To 06/24/2024

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe investigate the mechanisms by which normal cells become tumor cells, and we combine genetics, genomics, and proteomics approaches to investigate the differences between the proliferative response in response to injury and the hyperproliferative phenotype of cancer cells and to identify novel therapeutic targets in cancer cells.

  • Kathleen M. Sakamoto

    Kathleen M. Sakamoto

    Shelagh Galligan Professor in the School of Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on the molecular pathways that regulate normal and aberrant blood cell development, including acute leukemia and bone marrow failure syndromes. We are also studying novel drugs for treatment of cancer.