Discoveries
Discoveries

By addressing fundamental scientific questions, CRI is improving our understanding of the biological basis of disease and making discoveries that have the potential to improve the treatment of diseases and help to cure somebody who would not be cured otherwise.

OUR DISCOVERIES

Aug 19
Lymph nodes found to protect cancer cells from oxidative stress. Melanoma cells were found to take up anti-oxidants when passing through the lymph nodes, which prevents ferroptosis in the blood. This explain why many cancers metastasize to lymph nodes before forming distant tumors.

Lymph nodes found to protect cancer cells from oxidative stress. Melanoma cells were found to take up anti-oxidants when passing through the lymph nodes, which prevents ferroptosis in the blood. This explain why many cancers metastasize to lymph nodes before forming distant tumors.

August 19, 2020

Lymph nodes found to protect cancer cells from oxidative stress. Melanoma cells discovered to take up anti-oxidants when passing through the lymph nodes, which prevents ferroptosis in the blood. This explain why many cancers metastasize to lymph nodes before forming distant tumors.

Apr 27
Sean Morrison, Ph.D., elected to the National Academy of Science (NAS).

Sean Morrison, Ph.D., elected to the National Academy of Science (NAS).

April 27, 2020

Sean Morrison, Ph.D., elected to the National Academy of Science.

Dec 18
Metabolic differences between melanomas, and even among cells within the same melanoma, confer differences in metastatic potential that may determine which melanomas are able to progress to late stage disease. Melanoma cells that take up more lactate increase their production of antioxidants which helps them survive in the blood and spread more efficiently. This discovery could be used to develop new therapies that reduce the proportion of patients who progress to late stage disease.

Metabolic differences between melanomas, and even among cells within the same melanoma, confer differences in metastatic potential that may determine which melanomas are able to progress to late stage disease. Melanoma cells that take up more lactate increase their production of antioxidants which helps them survive in the blood and spread more efficiently. This discovery could be used to develop new therapies that reduce the proportion of patients who progress to late stage disease.

December 18, 2019

Metabolic differences among melanoma cells confer differences in metastatic potential. This discovery could be used to develop new therapies that reduce the proportion of patients who progress to late stage disease.

Apr 30
Integration of genomic and metabolomic data to identify inborn errors of metabolism in patients, potentially opening a new approach to diagnosing pediatric metabolic diseases.

Integration of genomic and metabolomic data to identify inborn errors of metabolism in patients, potentially opening a new approach to diagnosing pediatric metabolic diseases.

April 30, 2019

 Integration of genomic and metabolomic data to identify inborn errors of metabolism in patients, potentially opening a new approach to diagnosing pediatric metabolic diseases.

Apr 04
Genetic mutations that accumulate in the adult liver as a result of chronic liver damage found to promote tissue regeneration without necessarily promoting liver cancer. This raises the possibility of identifying therapeutic strategies that promote liver regeneration without increasing cancer risk.

Genetic mutations that accumulate in the adult liver as a result of chronic liver damage found to promote tissue regeneration without necessarily promoting liver cancer. This raises the possibility of identifying therapeutic strategies that promote liver regeneration without increasing cancer risk.

April 4, 2019

 Genetic mutations that accumulate in the adult liver as a result of chronic liver damage found to promote tissue regeneration without necessarily promoting liver cancer. This raises the possibility of identifying therapeutic strategies that promote liver regeneration without increasing cancer risk.

Oct 15
Sean Morrison, Ph.D., elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

Sean Morrison, Ph.D., elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

October 15, 2018

Sean Morrison, Ph.D., elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

May 23
Ralph DeBerardinis, M.D., Ph.D. selected as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator.

Ralph DeBerardinis, M.D., Ph.D. selected as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator.

May 23, 2018

Ralph DeBerardinis, M.D., Ph.D. selected as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator.

Feb 08
The liver has an unusual amount of polyploid cells which have multiple extra copies of each gene. These cells are less likely than normal cells to transform into cancer cells after chronic liver damage. These findings address a long-standing mystery in liver biology by suggesting that polyploidy suppresses the development of cancer.

The liver has an unusual amount of polyploid cells which have multiple extra copies of each gene. These cells are less likely than normal cells to transform into cancer cells after chronic liver damage. These findings address a long-standing mystery in liver biology by suggesting that polyploidy suppresses the development of cancer.

February 8, 2018

 The liver has an unusual amount of polyploid cells which have multiple extra copies of each gene. These cells are less likely than normal cells to transform into cancer cells after chronic liver damage. These findings address a long-standing mystery in liver biology by suggesting that polyploidy suppresses the development of cancer.

Oct 05
Lactate, long considered a waste product of cancer cells, discovered to fuel growing tumors. These findings represent a major shift in how researchers view lung cancer metabolism. They represent a new path of study for therapies and imaging techniques.

Lactate, long considered a waste product of cancer cells, discovered to fuel growing tumors. These findings represent a major shift in how researchers view lung cancer metabolism. They represent a new path of study for therapies and imaging techniques.

October 15, 2017

 Lactate, long considered a waste product of cancer cells, discovered to fuel growing tumors. These findings represent a major shift in how researchers view lung cancer metabolism. They represent a new path of study for therapies and imaging techniques.

Aug 24
A new high-throughput method developed to study regions of DNA that control which genes are turned on and off in cells. This method will allow researchers to better understand how genes become dysregulated in cancer and other diseases.

A new high-throughput method developed to study regions of DNA that control which genes are turned on and off in cells. This method will allow researchers to better understand how genes become dysregulated in cancer and other diseases.

August 24, 2017

A new high-throughput method developed to study regions of DNA that control which genes are turned on and off in cells. This method will allow researchers to better understand how genes become dysregulated in cancer and other diseases.

Aug 21
Stem cells discovered to take up unusually high levels of vitamin C, which regulates their function and suppresses the development of leukemia. These findings have implications for older patients with a common precancerous condition known as clonal hematopoiesis.

Stem cells discovered to take up unusually high levels of vitamin C, which regulates their function and suppresses the development of leukemia. These findings have implications for older patients with a common precancerous condition known as clonal hematopoiesis.

August 21, 2017

 Stem cells discovered to take up unusually high levels of vitamin C, which regulates their function and suppresses the development of leukemia. These findings have implications for older patients with a common precancerous condition known as clonal hematopoiesis.

Jun 20
An aggressive subset of lung cancer found to rely on a previously unknown mechanism for making DNA. These findings could result in new ways to treat lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

An aggressive subset of lung cancer found to rely on a previously unknown mechanism for making DNA. These findings could result in new ways to treat lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

June 20, 2017

An aggressive subset of lung cancer found to rely on a previously unknown mechanism for making DNA. These findings could result in new ways to treat lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

May 24
A new pathway that regulates mitochondrial function during blood cell production discovered. This discovery contributes to our understanding of the hematologic defects associated with mitochondrial diseases and aging.

A new pathway that regulates mitochondrial function during blood cell production discovered. This discovery contributes to our understanding of the hematologic defects associated with mitochondrial diseases and aging.

May 24. 2017

A new pathway that regulates mitochondrial function during blood cell production discovered. This discovery contributes to our understanding of the hematologic defects associated with mitochondrial diseases and aging.

Dec 13
New bone-forming growth factor, Osteolectin (Clec11a), which reverses osteoporosis in mice and has the potential to promote bone regeneration, discovered.

New bone-forming growth factor, Osteolectin (Clec11a), which reverses osteoporosis in mice and has the potential to promote bone regeneration, discovered.

December 13, 2016

New bone-forming growth factor, Osteolectin (Clec11a), which reverses osteoporosis in mice and has the potential to promote bone regeneration, discovered.

Apr 07
Researchers discovered a metabolic pathway that helps cancer cells thrive in conditions that are lethal to normal cells, particularly the oxidative stress that limits cancer progression.

Researchers discovered a metabolic pathway that helps cancer cells thrive in conditions that are lethal to normal cells, particularly the oxidative stress that limits cancer progression.

April 7, 2016

Researchers discovered a metabolic pathway that helps cancer cells thrive in conditions that are lethal to normal cells, particularly the oxidative stress that limits cancer progression.

Mar 29
Diet found to determine the balance between fat formation and bone formation in adult bone marrow. This settles a long-standing controversy and could have implications for treating osteoporosis.

Diet found to determine the balance between fat formation and bone formation in adult bone marrow. This settles a long-standing controversy and could have implications for treating osteoporosis.

March 29, 2016

Diet found to determine the balance between fat formation and bone formation in adult bone marrow. This settles a long-standing controversy and could have implications for treating osteoporosis.

Mar 25
Inactivating Arid1a, a gene associated with some human cancers, promotes liver regeneration. This study opens up new areas of investigation related to ways of rejuvenating tissues without increasing cancer risk.

Inactivating Arid1a, a gene associated with some human cancers, promotes liver regeneration. This study opens up new areas of investigation related to ways of rejuvenating tissues without increasing cancer risk.

March 25, 2016

Inactivating Arid1a, a gene associated with some human cancers, promotes liver regeneration. This study opens up new areas of investigation related to ways of rejuvenating tissues without increasing cancer risk.

Feb 04
New method for studying metabolism in tumors within patients developed, overturning long-standing perceptions about cancer metabolism that were based on studies of cancer cells in laboratory dishes. These discoveries could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating cancer.

New method for studying metabolism in tumors within patients developed, overturning long-standing perceptions about cancer metabolism that were based on studies of cancer cells in laboratory dishes. These discoveries could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating cancer.

February 4, 2016

New method for studying metabolism in tumors within patients developed, overturning long-standing perceptions about cancer metabolism that were based on studies of cancer cells in laboratory dishes. These discoveries could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating cancer.

Jan 11
Researchers pioneer technologies to understand DNA sequences that regulate the ability of genes to be turned on and off during blood cell development. These discoveries pave the way to discover new regulatory DNA sequences that govern the production of blood cells and leukemia development.

Researchers pioneer technologies to understand DNA sequences that regulate the ability of genes to be turned on and off during blood cell development. These discoveries pave the way to discover new regulatory DNA sequences that govern the production of blood cells and leukemia development.

January 11, 2016

Researchers pioneer technologies to understand DNA sequences that regulate the ability of genes to be turned on and off during blood cell development. These discoveries pave the way to discover new regulatory DNA sequences that govern the production of blood cells and leukemia development.

Nov 16
Researchers identified a secondary, emergency blood-formation system in the spleen. With this new information, therapies could be developed to enhance blood formation following chemotherapy or bone-marrow transplantation to accelerate recovery.

Researchers identified a secondary, emergency blood-formation system in the spleen. With this new information, therapies could be developed to enhance blood formation following chemotherapy or bone-marrow transplantation to accelerate recovery.

November 16, 2015

Researchers identified a secondary, emergency blood-formation system in the spleen. With this new information, therapies could be developed to enhance blood formation following chemotherapy or bone-marrow transplantation to accelerate recovery.