Nita Ahuja, MD, MBA, FACS
William H. Carmalt Professor of Surgery; Chair, Surgery; Associate Cancer Center Director, Surgical Services
Dr. Ahuja has a wide-reaching laboratory with a broad focus on various aspects of surgical oncology, particularly epigenetics. Her lab utilizes techniques involving animals models, human cells, in vitro organoid models, precision medicine, and systems biology allowing the lab to span from clinical data mining to translational studies to basic science projects. Recently, the lab has published on a range of topics including population trends in sarcomas, surgical training and education, and early markers of pancreatic cancer. A strong focus in the lab is on the genetic and epigenetic basis/changes that occur in GI cancers (gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, etc.). The lab is answering questions such as which epigenetic changes lead to rapid cancer progression compared to long term survival. In addition, some projects focus more on treatment such as nanoparticle based drug delivery to solid tumors. A final focus is on the tumor microenvironment, particularly through collaborations across Yale labs to develop co-cultures of organoids and mesenchymal cells to study epithelial-mesenchymal interactions.