Schaefer research scholars program

A systems and synthetic biologist, Wang develops new tools and platforms to determine how genomes in microbial populations form, maintain themselves, and change over time, across many environments. His goal is to use synthetic biology approaches to engineer ecologies of microbial populations, such as those found in the gut and elsewhere in the human body, in ways that could improve human health. His Schaefer scholar project centers on a platform approach to systematically determine new mechanisms by which specific members of the human microbiome metabolize and alter drugs and pharmaceuticals.

Wang and his group will evaluate the impact of the microbiome on drug efficacies using cellular and animal models, focusing on the gut microbiome—an important and underexplored area of research. The large-scale data generated from our project could improve drug prescriptions and clinical trials by reducing failures and classifying patients based on otherwise unknown, yet important, microbiome-drug interactions.

Wang joined Columbia in Mesenchymal stem cells MSCs are multipotent stromal cells with the ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types that can contribute to the development and maintenance of the skeleton, fat, and other tissues.

MSCs are being explored for their potential to treat osteoarthritis, autoimmune diseases, and other disorders, but the clinical use of MSCs remains difficult, as these cells are not well-understood. Li previously generated animal models that he used in his research to identify specific MSC subgroups and track their differentiation into other cell types.

Very little is known about these subgroups of MSCs, the different roles they play in the body, and whether they each have an equivalent ability to repair damaged tissue. Brain metastasis is a common, incurable complication of many cancers and is associated with a severe deterioration of cognitive and motor function.

Brain metastasis is 10 times more common than primary brain tumors. Though treatments may modestly slow the progression of brain metastasis, responses are often transient and relapse rate is high. Understanding how cancer cells invade the brain and grow in its microenvironment is key for developing mechanism-based therapies that are effective against metastatic tumors.

Acharyya is approaching the problem by developing new animal models of brain metastasis using human cancer cells from cancer patients. Her research has identified proteins that accumulate within these cancer cells and suggests that these proteins may mediate metastasis to the brain.

Using genetic strategies, the Acharyya laboratory is altering the expression of these proteins to learn about their signaling mechanisms within the brain and how these proteins function to mediate brain metastasis. Komen Career Catalyst Award. You need to sign in or create an account to save a job.

Send job. Nomination deadline: November 22, , at p. Awardees will be notified in February Share this job Facebook Twitter LinkedIn.