Mass General Center for Cancer Research Seminar Series
The Center for Cancer Research (CCR) Seminar Series occurs weekly and provides an opportunity for the Mass General research community to learn from national and international leaders in cancer research on topics such as: cancer genetics and epigenetics, signaling and molecular therapeutics, developmental and stem cell biology, genetic model organisms, DNA damage and genomic stability, immunotherapy, hematopoiesis, lymphocyte biology and miRNA regulation, among other areas.
Fall 2022 - Spring 2023
Location: CNY 7 Isselbacher Auditorium and also via Zoom.
Time: Wednesdays, 12:00 PM–1:00 PM. Please see schedule and dates below.
Intended Audience: For CCR-affiliated lab members and internal Mass General Cancer Center Faculty and Staff.
The seminars are structured as a 45-minute lecture followed by 15 minutes of discussion and interaction. Please see below for weekly topics and presenters.
The CCR Research Seminar Series is chaired by:
Raul Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD
Scientific Director, MGH CCR
Laurel Schwartz Professor of Oncology, MGH Cancer Center & Harvard Medical School
Associate Member, Broad Institute
September 2022
September 14
Suzanne J. Baker, PhD
Disrupted Development in Pediatric High-Grade Glioma
Co-Leader, Neurobiology and Brain Tumor Program; Associate Director, Basic Research
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
(Host: Mario L. Suvà, MD, PhD)
September 21 (Virtual Only)
Johanna Joyce, PhD
Exploring and Therapeutically Exploiting the Tumor Microenvironment
Professor, Department of Oncology
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
University of Lausanne
(Host: Mario L. Suvà, MD, PhD)
September 28
John H. Bushweller, PhD
Targeting Transcription Factor Drivers in Cancer
Professor, Molecular Physiology & Biological Physics
University of Virginia School of Medicine
(Host: Christopher Ott, PhD)
October 2022
October 12
Rachel Green, PhD
Colliding ribosomes trigger diverse stress response signaling events
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor
Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics
John Hopkins University School of Medicine
(Host: Shobha Vasudevan, PhD)
October 26
Paz Polak, PhD
High sensitivity cancer monitoring via whole genome sequencing of cell-free DNA
VP of Computational Biology
C2i Genomics
(Host: Mike Lawrence, PhD)
November 2022
November 2
Theodore Hong, MD
Present and future directions in clinical trails in gastrointestinal radiation oncology
Director, Gastrointestinal Service
Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Mass General Cancer Center
Professor of Radiation Oncology, Mass General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
(Host: Li Lan, MD, PhD)
November 9
Asifa Akhtar, PhD
Epigenetic regulation by histone acetylation at crossroads of metabolic control
Director, Dept. of Chromatin Regulation
Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology & Epigenetics
(Host: Mo Motamedi, PhD)
November 30
Vijay G. Sankaran, MD, PhD
Genetic Studies of Human Hematopoiesis
Lodish Family Chair, BCH
Jan Ellen Paradise, MD Associate Prof. of Pediatrics
Boston Children’s Hospital
(Host: Timothy Graubert, MD)
December 2022
December 7
Sohail Tavazoie, MD, PhD
Small RNA and hereditary genetic cooperation in the regulation of cancer metastasis
Leon Hess Professor, Biochem., Biophysics, Chem.Bio, Structural Biology, Ca. Bio., Mech. of Human Disease
Rockefeller University
(Host: Shobha Vasudevan, PhD)
December 14
Yingming Zhao, PhD
A New Family Histone Lysine Acylation Pathways: Biochemistry, Epigenetics and Pathophysiology
Professor, The Ben May Dept. for Cancer Research
University of Chicago
(Host: Raul Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD)
January 2023
January 11, 2023
Rob Martienssen, PhD
RNA interference guides transcriptional silencing through phase transitions
William J. Matheson Professor & HHMI Investigator
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
(Host: Mo Motamedi, MD)
January 25
Fernando Camargo, PhD
Lineage and function in the hematopoietic system
Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology
Stem Cell Program, BCH
Principal Faculty, Harvard Stem Cell Institute
Boston Children’s Hospital
Focus: study of adjust stem cell biology, organ size regulation and cancer
(Host: Peter G. Miller, MD, PhD)
February 2023
February 8
Lydia Finley, PhD
Metabolic regulation of cell fate decisions
Associate Member, Cell Biology Program
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
(Host: Liron Bar-Peled, PhD)
March 2023
March 1
Donita C. Brady, PhD
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Copper-Dependent Nutrient Signaling and Metabolism in Cancer
Harrison McCrea Dickson, MD and Clifford C. Baker, MD Presidential Professor
Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute & Abramson Cancer Center Tumor Biology Program
Pereleman School of Medicine | Univ. of Pennsylvania
(Host: Liron Bar-Peled, PhD)
March 8
Sean Morrison, PhD
The hematopoietic stem cell niche
Professor & Director
Katheryn and Gene Bishop Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Research, Children’s Research Institute
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Focus: Cancer stem cell biology, Melanoma cell proliferation and metastasis, stem cell aging, stem cell niche, and stem cell self-renewal
(Host: Raul Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD)
March 15
Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil
Promoting Equity for Women in Academic Medicine: Seizing the Disruptive Opportunity of the Pandemic
Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology
Winship Cancer Institute
Emory University
Topic: Impact of Covid-19 on Women in STEM
(Host: Jillian Wise, PhD )
March 22
Steven Altschuler, PhD
Cancer cell-fate decisions: strategies to eliminate options
Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
School of Pharmacy | UCSF
(Host: Aaron N. Hata, MD, PhD)
March 29
Scott W. Lowe, PhD
Natural barriers to pancreas cancer initiation and progression
Chair, Cancer Biology & Genetics Program
Chair, Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center
Investigator, HHMI
Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute
(Host: David T. Ting, MD)
April 2023
April 5
George Vassilliou, MRCP, PhD
Title TBA
Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute
Professor of Hematological Medicine
University of Cambridge
(Host: Peter G. Miller, MD, PhD)
April 12
Andy J. Minn, MD, PhD
Title TBA
Professor of Radiation Oncology
Pereleman School of Medicine | Univ. of Pennsylvania
Focus: IFN Signaling driven by Endogenous RNAs, Cancer Immunotherapy, bad cancer ISG’s in Immthpy, Enhancing IFN, Antigenicity w CAR-T cells
(Host: David T. Ting, MD)
April 26
Alberto Ciccia, PhD
Title TBA
Associate Professor of Genetics and Developmenty
Columbia University
(Host: Raul Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD)
May 2023
May 17
Arjun Raj, MD, PhD
Emergent cellular ecosystems in melanoma revealed by single cell analysis
Professor of Genetics
Pereleman School of Medicine | Univ. of Pennsylvania
(Host: Aaron N. Hata, MD, PhD)
May 24
Kimberly A. Truong, PhD
Title TBA
Chief Equity Officer
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Office
MGH Institute of Health Professions
(Host: Nicole Peiris, PhD)
June 2023
June 7
Robbie Majzner, MD
Title TBA
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Hematology & Oncology
Stanford School of Medicine
Focus: Ca Imm, Neuroblastoma, cell therapy, pediatric sarcomas, solid tumors of childhood and adolescence
(Host: Marcela V. Maus, MD, PhD)