Discoveries
Cancer
Cancer
We are rapidly demystifying cancers, exposing the molecular mechanisms underlying tumors and leading the search for the next generation of targeted cancer therapies. We see a future where every cancer and every patient has a cure.

Discoveries

Nature Communications
09/2023

“Super-enhancer” super-charges pancreatic tumor growth

Pancreatic cancers are among the most aggressive, deadly tumor types, and for years researchers have struggled to develop effective drugs against the tumors. Now, Professor Ronald Evans, first author Corina Antal, and colleagues have identified a new set of molecules that fuel the growth of tumors in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer. The new research explains how certain gene mutations trigger out-of-control growth in pancreatic cancer by activating a “super-enhancer” that turns on other genes. They also show the effectiveness of a new drug that puts the brakes on pancreatic cancer growth by blocking the effects of that super-enhancer.

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Science Advances
06/2023

All the immunity, none of the symptoms

Worldwide, more than a million deaths occur each year due to diarrheal diseases that lead to dehydration and malnutrition. Yet no vaccine exists to fight or prevent these diseases, which are caused by bacteria like certain strains of E. coli. Professor Janelle Ayres, first author Grischa Chen, and colleagues found that pairing specific diets with disease-causing bacteria can create lasting immunity against diarrheal illness in mice without the cost of developing sickness. Their discovery paves the way for the development of new vaccines that could promote immunity for those with diarrheal diseases and possibly other infections.

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Immunity
06/2023

Mapping the development of infection-fighting immune cells

Killer T cells, though a subtype themselves, can transform into even more specialized subtypes. Little was known about what influences this further differentiation until Professor Susan Kaech, Associate Professor Diana Hargreaves, co-first authors Bryan McDonald and Brent Chick, and colleagues endeavored to unravel this T cell differentiation mystery. What they discovered was that a protein complex called cBAF can open or close genetic “doors” to control T cell fate. Their findings illuminate how T cells fight and remember infections, and inspire the development of more effective vaccines and cancer therapeutics.

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Science Advances
07/2023

Revealing HIV drug-resistance mechanisms through protein structures

Associate Professor Dmitry Lyumkis and colleagues, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, discovered the molecular mechanisms by which human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) becomes resistant to Dolutegravir, one of the most effective, clinically used antiviral drugs for treating the infection. The new study reveals how changes to the 3D structures of integrase, an HIV protein, can lead to Dolutegravir resistance and how other compounds may be able to overcome this resistance.

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Cell Reports
07/2023

Why we lose fat and muscle during infection

Since helper T cells lead the fight against infection and can promote the activity of killer T cells, when researchers were looking to explain wasting—the loss of fat and muscle that can occur during infection—they hypothesized the two T cell types may be cooperating. Professor Janelle Ayres, first author Samuel Redford, and colleagues discovered the wasting response to infection with the bacteria T. brucei in mice occurs in two phases, each regulated by different T cell subtypes. While fat loss did not benefit the fight against infection, muscle loss did—a surprising clue that some wasting may help manage illness. The findings can inform the development of more effective therapeutics that spare people from wasting and increase our understanding of how wasting influences survival and morbidity across infections, cancers, chronic illnesses, and more.

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Immunity
08/2023

Using the body’s “invisible scalpel” to remove brain cancer

Professor Susan Kaech, co-first authors Dan Chen and Siva Karthik Varanasi, and colleagues found that helper T cells play a crucial role in the success of the immunotherapy treatment anti-CTLA-4 in mice with glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of brain cancer. The immunotherapy’s success depended on helper T cells pairing up with brain-resident immune cells called microglia—demonstrating the value of the immune system’s quilted connections. The findings show the benefit of harnessing the body’s own immune cells to fight brain cancer and could lead to more effective immunotherapies for treating brain cancer in humans.

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eLife
07/2023

Preying on hungry, anxious worms

eLife 07/2023 Preying on hungry, anxious worms The life of the tiny worm called C. elegans consists mostly of looking for food, eating food, and laying eggs. So, when any of these behaviors are disrupted, there’s cause for concern. In a new study, Professor Sreekanth Chalasani, co-first authors Amy Pribadi and Michael Rieger, and colleagues […]
01/24/2024

Seeing the inside of plants in 3D

Nature Plants 06/2023 Seeing the inside of plants in 3D The cellular life inside a plant is as vibrant as the blossom. In each plant tissue—from root tip to leaf tip—there are hundreds of cell types that relay information about functional needs and environmental changes. Now, a new technology developed by Professor Joseph Ecker, first […]
Cell Reports
08/2023

High-fat diets alter gut bacteria, boosting colorectal cancer risk in mice

The prevalence of colorectal cancer in people under the age of 50 has risen in recent decades. One suspected reason: the increasing rate of obesity and high-fat diets. Now, Professor Ronald Evans, co-first author Ting Fu, and colleagues, in collaboration with UC San Diego, discovered exactly how high-fat diets can change gut bacteria and alter digestive molecules called bile acids, predisposing mice to colorectal cancer. The findings help scientists better understand colorectal cancer and how to potentially prevent it.

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