Shiri Gur-Cohen, Ph.D.

Research

The double-edged nature of how stem cells can both help us stay young yet, at times, unleash tumorigenesis has inspired our work. Stem cells are cells with the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body, and various tumors can originate from stem cells. Little is known about how the microenvironment that stem cells reside in drives tumor formation and progression. By taking a creative swing into unknown territories of the lymphatic vascular niche in cancer stem cells, my goal is to explore how systemic cues shape oncogenic fate. Using a model of skin cancer, my lab will determine which components of the lymphatic microenvironment drive tumor initiation and growth adaptations, using new technology to detect early and transitional states in rare tumor-initiating stem cells with unprecedented resolution. Finally, I will define how the vascular microenvironment contributes to therapeutic resistance of tumors, which accounts for over 90% of cancer-related deaths. Tagging and tracing stem cells in tandem with their evolving microenvironments will yield new insights into how aberrant stem cells integrate cues from their surroundings to fuel oncogenesis. This knowledge holds promise for the development of therapeutics that block early cancer progression and combat metastasis.