Cancer Biology
Cancer biology is an academic discipline with a tangible end point: improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human cancers. The Program in Cancer Biology provides students interested in pursuing a career in cancer biology with rigorous training in biochemistry, genetics, molecular and cell biology, as well as an understanding of the clinical aspects of cancer. The program is based in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, but it also includes faculty from most basic science departments and several clinical departments. The strength and diversity of the faculty enable students to explore different approaches to the study of cancer in their laboratory rotations and to develop inter-departmental and interdisciplinary collaborations during their thesis research. This program is also an integral component of the UMass Cancer Center and it affords students the opportunity to participate in disease-based programs of the Cancer Center that are designed to translate achievements from the basic sciences to the clinical management of human cancers.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIALIZATION
All Basic Biomedical Science students must complete the core curriculum as well as electives required by their program. Students in the Cancer Biology program must take 3 graded elective courses of 2-4 credits each, two of which must be Histology and Tumor Pathology and Cancer Biology and Medicine.
OUR LEADERSHIP & FACULTY
PROGRAM LEADERSHIP
Lucio Castilla, PhD
Program Director
email Dr. Castilla
Visit the Castilla lab site
William Flavahan, PhD
Deputy Program Director
email Dr. Flavahan
View Flavahan profile
Marcus Ruscetti, PhD
Deputy Program Director
email Dr. Ruscetti
Visit the Ruscetti lab site
FACULTY
Our faculty come from most basic science departments and several clinical departments. The strength and diversity of the faculty enable students to explore different approaches to the study of cancer in their laboratory rotations and to develop inter-departmental and interdisciplinary collaborations during their thesis research.
Research areas of our faculty inlcude:
- Cancer Cell Biology and Immunology
- Cancer Genetics
View the affiliated faculty listing for the Cancer Biology Program.
EVENTS
2023 CANCER BIOLOGY RETREAT
October 13th
Cyprian Keyes Golf Club, Boylston MA
8:30AM - 5:00PM
We invite all graduate students and faculty in the Cancer Biology Program to participate in the Annual CBP Retreat! First year students in the Morningside GSBS and MSTP programs interested in cancer research are also invited!
We have an exciting program that includes the keynote presentation by Dr. William G. Kaelin Jr., and presentations by graduate students and faculty. In addition, we will have a poster session by trainees.
A shuttle service between UMass Chan and Cyprian Keyes will be provided.
For further assistance contact:
Wendy Cullinane at Wendy.Cullinane@umassmed.edu (508) 856-5330 or
Amanda Durkin at Amanda.Durkin@umassmed.edu (508) 856-1317.
2023 CANCER BIOLOGY PROGRAM OPEN HOUSE
On September 7th, the Cancer Biology Program organized an Open House poster session to welcome the Morningside GSBS first year students and to introduce the diverse research programs in cancer biology that we have at UMass Chan Medical School. This casual event, with refreshments and snacks, was a great opportunity to meet other trainees and to select rotation labs.
OUR STUDENTS
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Many Cancer Biology students have been awarded NIH pre-doctoral fellowships and received other prestigious awards. For example, Nomeda Girnius and Shawna Guillemente won the Dean's Award for Outstanding Thesis Research . Our students have published in top journals including Cell, Science, Nature and Cancer Cell. In addition to these accomplishments, our students organize an annual Cancer Biology Retreat and host a distinguished scientist as the keynote speaker for this retreat. These speakers have included Robert Weinberg, Ron DiPinho, David Sabatini, Craig Thompson and Kornelia Polyak. A monthly Cancer Biology Journal Club is also organized by our students.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Emmet Karner, PhD candidate
Cancer Biology Program
Emmet Karner studies an iron-dependent form of cell death called ferroptosis. Figuring out the cell biological mechanisms that contribute to ferroptosis resistance in carcinomas could lead to new cancer therapy options and improve the prognosis for patients.
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Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences class speaker will remind classmates to ‘live in the present’
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PhD candidate studies red blood cells; strives to increase diversity in STEM
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Discovery of a novel role of VPS13D in Autophagy
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Targeting dormant leukemia-initiating cells in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
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Integrin Regulation of Mammary Gland Development
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Investigating YAP1 control of differentiation and metabolism in Hepatoblastoma
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Integrin Function in Breast Cancer Initiation
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Impact of Beclin 1 Loss on Breast Cancer Progression
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Targeting BMP signaling to treat advanced melanoma and suppress therapeutic resistance
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Examining BMP signaling as a regulator of neural crest identity during melanoma initiation and progression
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The Impact of IRS2-microtubule interactions in the progression of breast cancer
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POST-DEGREE CAREERS
Graduates of the Cancer Biology Program have obtained post-doctoral fellowships at leading institutions including Harvard Medical School, MIT, NIH and Yale, and have obtained industry positions in reknowned companies such as Sanofi and Novartis.