Meet the CBTP Trainees!

PI/Department: Mandar Muzumdar, Genetics
Clinical mentor: James Farrell
Research project: My project centers on identifying synthetic vulnerabilities in KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer cells and on determining the critical molecular determinants of lung cancer progression in an autochthonous mouse model.
Motivation for joining CBTP: To gain a solid cancer biology background and to understand the current challenges in translational research.
Favorite activities: Baking!

PI/Department: Faye Rogers, Therapeutic Radiology
Clinical mentor: Asher Marks
Research project: I study how triplex structures in the DNA can affect DNA damage response and the balance between DNA repair and apoptosis.
Motivation for joining CBTP: Being interested in cancer biology for several years, I decided to take a class in the field as a postgraduate associate. Here, I learned that the program provided students with additional courses, seminars and clinical shadowing, further allowing me to link scientific findings to different clinical settings.
Favorite activities: Going out with friends!

PI/Department: Jeffrey Townsend, Biostatistics
Clinical mentor: Antonio Omuro
Research project: We help determine the candidate causal variants within genes linked to cancer across different subtypes (melanoma, breast, prostate, etc.) using an evolutionary genetic computational approach.
Motivation for joining CBTP: Translational research has always been at the core of my interest and the CBTP helps more directly realize the lab to the clinic transition with a focus on cancer.
Favorite activities: Social justice non-profit work, exercising, and fine dining.

PI/Department: Katerina Politi, Pathology
Research project: I am doing translational work on a tissue collection protocol in which I gather patient specimens and clinical information for laboratory research. Additionally, I maintain a colony of PDX mice for different experiments in the Politi lab.
Motivation for joining CBTP: As someone who is exposed to both lab work and clinical work, I applied to CBTP to gain a deeper understanding of the biology of cancer and how we can apply scientific discoveries in oncology to the clinic for the benefit of cancer patients.
Favorite activities: Swimming!

PI/Department: Peter Glazer, Genetics
Clinical mentor: Antonio Omurol
Research project: I study the DNA repair defect found in cancers that produce oncometabolites, metabolites associated with cancer, and how resistance to DNA repair inhibitors might occur in this unique context.
Motivation for joining CBTP: I wanted to understand how cancer research is translated from bench to bedside, through CBTP's shadowing program and coursework on clinical trials.
Favorite activities: Running.

PI/Department: Mandar Muzumdar, Genetics

PI/Department: Aaron Ring, Immunobiology
Clinical mentor: Tristen Park
Research project: Protein engineering as a tool to understand and manipulate the immune system in cancer.
Motivation for joining CBTP: Coming from a background in basic science, I decided to apply to CBTP to better understand the clinical and translational sides of cancer research.
Favorite activities: Exploring new cities and nature.

PI/Department: Don Nguyen, Pathology
Clinical mentor: Tristen Park
Research project: I study the role of H3K36 demethylases in the metastasis cascade of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Motivation for joining CBTP: I applied to CBTP to get exposure to the clinical needs of cancer patients, and how clinicians approach problem solving.
Favorite activities: Horseback riding.

PI/Department: Ranjit Bindra, Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry
Clinical mentor: Juan Vasquez
Research project: I study cancer-associated mutations in tricarboxylic acid cycle genes that cause production of oncometabolites, which suppress homologous recombination DNA repair and may affect other modes of DNA repair. My research aims to determine how each oncometabolite dynamically regulates nonhomologous end joining DNA repair pathways, which I will also evaluate as potential therapeutic targets in oncometabolite producing cancers.
Motivation for joining CBTP: I applied to the CBTP to gain a better understanding of the field and for the opportunity to address the challenges with unifying the basic and clinical sides of cancer biology.
Favorite activities: Baking!

PI/Department: Ranjit Bindra, Pathology
Clinical mentor: Michael Hurwitz
Research project: Identifying the function of lesser-known DNA repair proteins and studying how we can target these proteins in DNA repair-deficient cancers.
Motivation for joining CBTP: The CBTP coursework allows you to discuss a variety of cancer biology topics with fellow cancer researchers who all approach these problems from vastly different perspectives. I joined CBTP for these enriching conversations with peers and professors alike!
Favorite activities: Puzzles, debating, and Bollywood dancing!

PI/Department: Mandar Muzumdar, Genetics
Clinical mentor: Michael Cecchini
Research project: My research is focused on elucidating the divergence in downstream signaling, transcriptional profiles and oncogenic potential of the most common KRAS mutants. Also, we seek to evaluate how these mutants might affect patient outcome and their response to therapy.
Motivation for joining CBTP: I decided to apply to CBTP to expand the breadth of my knowledge in cancer biology and gain clinical exposure by working with my clinic mentor.
Favorite activities: Outside the lab I am involved with multiple outreach and community-focused initiatives that work towards providing equal access to health care and education. Also, I serve as a mentor in programs focused in increasing diversity and inclusion in STEM fields.

PI/Department: Mandar Muzumdar, Genetics
Clinical mentor: Rahmatullah Rahmati
Research project: Identifying metabolic and microbial drivers of lung and pancreatic tumorigenesis.
Motivation for joining CBTP: CBTP offers a unique perspective into oncology research by providing clinical exposure as well as in-depth knowledge in the fields of oncology and cancer treatment and development.
Favorite activities: Coding.

PI/Department: Katerina Politi, Pathology
Clinical mentor: James Farrell
Research project: Contributing to the lab’s lung cancer research by maintaining the genotypes of the different strains of our mouse colony, scanning the mice by use of magnetic resonance, and assisting with preparation of drugs and treatments.
Motivation for joining CBTP: I decided to join the CBTP so that I could have a better background of cancer mechanisms and their clinical applications. This has helped me to better contribute to the projects that I currently assist.
Favorite activities: I love playing soccer when I'm not working!

PI/Department: Shangqin Guo, Cell Biology
Clinical mentor: Daniel Petrylak
Research project: I study the properties of the privileged cell state which enable them to undergo certain cell fate choices such as malignant transformation using mouse models of leukemia. Motivation for joining CBTP: Cell cultures and animal models in the lab, though wonderful tools to study the biology of cancer, are limited in truly capturing the full image of cancer as a human disease. I wanted to be a part of the CBTP to bridge this gap in my personal understanding and my scientific work.
Favorite activities: Rowing with Yale Grad Crew.

PI/Department: Katerina Politi, Pathology
Research project: I work in the Politi Lab, which focuses on sensitivity and resistance to targeted therapies and immunotherapies in lung cancer. I am working on an immunotherapy project to investigate if we can transform the immune desert of EGFR-driven LUAD into a more immunostimulatory environment that will increase T-cell mediated killing of tumors.
Motivation for joining CBTP: I applied to CBTP to gain a stronger foundation in cancer biology, and to learn more about the clinical issues in oncology. I have really enjoyed the exposure to a wide variety of cancer topics.
Favorite activities: Netflix and painting!

PI/Department: Andrew Xiao, Genetics
Clinical mentor: Steven Gore
Research project: Understanding how epigenetic mechanisms - specifically DNA methylation - contribute to the acquisition of drug resistance in lung cancer.
Motivation for joining CBTP: My research addresses cancer biology from a basic science standpoint, and I joined CBTP with the goal of gaining clinical experience to translate my research from bench to bedside.
Favorite activities: Spending time outdoors, running, hiking, and dancing.

PI/Department: Peter Glazer, Genetics/Therapeutic Radiology
Clinical mentor: Frederick Wilson
Research project: Tumor targeting through the use of the pH low insertion peptide (pHLIP) and investigating additional mechanistic roles of the autoantibody 3E10 in senescence
Motivation for joining CBTP: To gain more clinical insight into how laboratory research influences decisions made within the clinic.
Favorite activities: Baking.