Annual HICCC Research Symposium Explores Cancer Metabolism Research at Columbia
On November 12, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) hosted its annual research symposium, New Frontiers in Cancer Research and Care, at the Vagelos Education Center on Columbia University Irving Medical Center campus. The symposium, co-sponsored by the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Institute of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Biological Sciences, brought together researchers, physician-scientists, trainees, and community members across Columbia to explore the rapidly evolving field of cancer metabolism.
Cancer metabolism represents a new frontier in cancer research, using orthogonal approaches to target tumors’ metabolic vulnerabilities and offering new strategies for personalized cancer treatments. Following opening remarks from Anil K. Rustgi, MD, Herbert and Florence Irving Director of the HICCC, attendees heard presentations from members and trainees on cutting-edge research happening at Columbia on how metabolic processes drive cancer growth and survival. The symposium featured a keynote address from Eileen White, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Associate Director of the Ludwig Princeton Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at Princeton University. Community speaker and member of HICCC’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) Desirée A.H. Walker, addressed the crowd before research presentations commenced, emphasizing the importance of sharing groundbreaking research happening in the labs with the community that the HICCC serves.
Symposium Presentations and Speakers:
Keynote Speaker
“Cancer and metabolism”
- Eileen White, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Associate Director of the Ludwig Princeton Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at Princeton University
Community Speaker
- Desirée A.H. Walker, Young Survival Coalition
Trainee Research Spotlight
“Modulation of ferroptosis sensitivity through dietary factors”
- Tal Hirschhorn, PhD (PI: Brent Stockwell, PhD)
“Understanding immunosuppression in overnutrition-promoted liver cancer”
- Nicolae Ciobu Zubenco (PI: Viraj Sanghvi, PhD)
Selected Research Program Presentations
“How metabolites modulate chromatin structure and function and what this means for cancer-directed therapies”
- Juan-Manuel Schvartzman, MD, PhD (Cancer Genomics and Epigenomics Program)
“Fighting cancer with movement: how physical activity shapes cancer metabolism and prevention”
- Rebecca Kehm, PhD (Cancer Population Science Program)
“Innovative Metabolic Approaches for Tackling Glioblastoma”
- Markus Siegelin, MD (Precision Oncology and Systems Biology Program)
"Methionine-based Redox Signaling in Cancer"
- Christine Chio, PhD (Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Program)