Home Department: Biology
Mentor: Dean Felsher (Medicine - Oncology and Pathology)

“Investigating the Role of MYC-Regulated Extracellular Vesicles in Shaping the Tumor Microenvironment to Support Growth and Immune Evasion"

Dysregulation of the MYC oncogene is key to initiation and support of various cancers. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from MYC-expressed cells and their MYC-specific cargo modulate tumor microenvironments to promote immune evasion and proliferation. However, specific functional impacts of these EVs remain largely unexplored. Ethan’s project controls MYC expression with a model based on a tetracycline-dependent regulatory system to isolate MYC-derived small-EVs, characterizing their contents and effects on nearby cells to elucidate their role in shaping tumor microenvironments. Understanding MYC-driven small-EVs could reveal therapeutic targets, such as disrupting EV biogenesis or blocking specific cargo, ultimately improving cancer diagnostics and treatment strategies.