11 July
The lab put down the pipettes and spent a wonderful day full of games, laughter, and Picanha at the beach at Fort de Soto Park.
30 June
Our NCI R01 application on the role of MAFG in melanocyte transformation and melanoma formation received a fundable score. If selected for funding, this award will drive a major research direction of our lab for the next few years.
10 June
Another preprint posted to bioRxiv, and again did Xiaonan lead the study. This paper characterizes FRA1 as a potent driver of melanoma metastasis by inducing a druggable transcriptional network.
7 June
We posted our newest preprint to bioRxiv. Led by Xiaonan, this study describes the generation of a multi-step uveal melanoma mouse model, identifies MYC as a potent driver of uveal melanoma formation, and characterizes phenotypic heterogeneity.
5 May
The lab attended the annual Moffitt Scientific Symposium. Xiaonan's poster on uveal melanoma mouse modeling was selected as a Basic Science Featured Poster and he gave a flash talk to introduce his work.
April 27
Kai attended the AACR Annual Meeting in Chicago and gave a talk on her work on the MYBL2 transcription factor as a non-canonical RNA binding protein.
4 April
We were informed by the NCI that our R21 grant application on exploring the PHGDH metabolic vulnerability in melanoma therapy was selected for funding. This will continue Neel's work.
22-28 March
Shaaron attended the Glycobiology Gordon Research Conference in Lucca, Italy, and gave an oral presentation on her work on glycoRNA characterization through imaging mass spectrometry as part of the Gordon Research Seminar.
26 February - 1 March
Florian attended the Animal Models in Cancer Fusion Conference in the Dominican Republic and gave a talk on the role of MAFG in melanoma phenotype switching and progression.
20 February
We received a fundable score on our NCI R21 application on the role of antisense RNAs in melanomagenesis. We're excited to continue this work!
18 February
Florian visited the University of Louisville and the Brown Cancer Center to present a lecture on melanoma progression as part of the BCC Grand Rounds.
14 February
Florian traveled far (a 2 hour drive) to visit our neighbors at the University of Florida. There, he gave a talk on MAFG and MYBL2 in melanoma progression as part of the UFHCC Topics in Cancer Seminar Series.
21 January
Florian visited Johns Hopkins University to give a talk on non-genetic drivers of melanoma progression to the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
17 January
Florian visited the University of Rochester and presented a lecture on the lab's work on transcription factors as non-genetic drivers of melanoma progression.