Research: Cancer Cell

Cancer Cell is a fundamental science program with a focus on processes intrinsic to the cancer cell.

Research members are focused on cancer genetics/epigenetics, DNA damage and repair and REDOX biology and how these processes affect cancer initiation and progression.

Theme One

Cancer genetics and epigenetics focusing on the genetic and epigenetic changes that drive cancer development.

Theme Two

Redox biology and metabolism exploring the role of oxidative stress and metabolic pathways in cancer progression.

Theme Three

DNA damage repair and genome instability investigating the mechanisms that maintain genomic stability and prevent cancer development.

in grant funding awarded in 2023.

Program Impact

Chatterjee wins prestigious R35 grant

Nimrat Chatterjee, PhD, assistant professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, was honored with a prestigious Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA or R35) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The five-year, $1.9 million grant is intended to provide investigators with increased stability and flexibility, allowing ample opportunity for important breakthroughs. The funding will support Dr. Chatterjee’s work studying DNA damage and mutagenic repair responses, with the ultimate hope of increasing our understanding of mechanisms that lead to cancer relapse and therapy resistance.

“Using basic and synthetic biology tools and REV1-based targeted therapy, we aim to delineate complex genome instability networks implicated in cancer etiology, therapy resistance, and other debilitating human diseases.”
- Nimrat Chatterjee, PhD

At the bench, Chatterjee Lab members collaborate to better understand cancer relapse and therapy resistance.

Graduate student and Juckett Scholar Kenayo Ikeh studies cancer therapy resistance in the Chatterjee Lab.

Program Leaders

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Co-Leader Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, PhD

Professor Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Research interests: Medicinal chemistry, REDOX biology, and the tumor microenvironment

Member Bio

Co-Leader Seth Frietze, PhD

Associate Professor Department of Biochemistry

Research interests: Cancer genetics, cancer immunology, DNA damage/repair, epigenetics, medicinal chemistry/drug development, Oncogenic cell signaling, REDOX biology.

Member Bio

New Cancer Cell Members

Reem Aboushousha, PhD

Faculty Scientist Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Steve Roberts, PhD

Associate Professor Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Education

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