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Seham Ebrahim, PhD and Colleagues Discover New Cell Organelle
Seham Ebrahim, PhD
Assistant Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics Seham Ebrahim, PhD, and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health have discovered an entirely new sub-cellular structure, or organelle, called the hemifusome. Described as a “loading dock” that that helps sort, recycle and discard materials transported inside cells via vesicles, hemifusomes were identified in collaboration with UVA’s Molecular Electron Microscopy Core. Further study could add to our understanding of genetic disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, viral infections, and certain cancers. “Now that we know hemifusomes exist, we can start asking how they behave in healthy cells and what happens when things go wrong,” Dr. Ebrahim said. To learn more, click here.
Ovarian Cancer Discovery Could Turn Failed Treatment Into Lifesaver
Melanie Rutkowski, PhD
UVACCC researchers have uncovered why immune checkpoint therapy fails against ovarian cancer – and made it work in the lab – offering hope for improved patient outcomes. Led by Associate Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology Melanie Rutkowski, PhD, the team discovered that gut bacteria flagellin disrupt immune cell function, preventing them from attacking tumors. Published in Cancer Immunology Research, the findings are part of UVA’s TransUniversity Microbiome Initiative, which aims to harness the microbiome for better health. “I am very hopeful this work will lead to new therapies for ovarian cancer patients,” Dr. Rutkowski said. To learn more, click here.