What Happened Last Quarter?
There’s so much to celebrate within our training community. What sets us apart is the way we come together—supporting each other, honoring hard work, and building lasting connections. Let’s take a look at how we started 2025.
The Cancer Epigenetics Institute (CEI)
A highlight of the symposium is the presentation of the C. David Allis CEI Travel Award, which supports trainees by enabling them to attend workshops, conferences, and training programs that enhance their expertise in the field. This year, seven trainees received this prestigious award and shared their reflections on what it means for their scientific journeys.
“I’m honored to receive the David Allis Travel Award. This recognition not only supports my research journey but also reinforces the importance of collaboration and sharing ideas within our scientific community. I’m grateful for the chance to connect with fellow trainees and leaders in the field!” said Chloe Azadegan.
Rebecca Smith highlighted the award's impact on her career aspirations: “This opportunity will help advance my career goals by connecting me with experts in the epigenetics field and allowing me to present my work, fostering collaborations, and exploring future research directions.”
Similarly, Millie Coombes expressed her excitement: “I could not be more grateful to have received this award. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to attend another conference and continue my development as a scientist!”
For Adria Hasan, the award represents both recognition and opportunity: “This award not only acknowledges my work but also provides a valuable platform to connect with leading researchers and expand my scientific perspective. This opportunity is vital for my professional growth, fostering collaborations and advancing my work in cancer epigenetics.”
The Cancer Epigenetics Institute (CEI) celebrates its anniversary each year with the Cancer Epigenetics Institute Symposium: From Gene Regulation to 3D Genomes to Aging to Therapeutics, held at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. This event provides trainees with a unique opportunity to learn from world-renowned scientists who have made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of epigenetics.
“This one-day annual free symposium aims to allow anyone, anywhere at any education level to hear it, meet the scientific leaders, and appreciate world-class science. It is so cool to see our trainees and others present posters or give talks after being recognized by the travel award committee. We enjoy seeing trainees and new faculty meet people they know from the literature or have heard about and get to exchange ideas or be inspired. The environment has energy that is palpable and so very positive.” said Dr. Johnathan Whetstine, head of CEI and organizer of the symposium.
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In addition to honoring new awardees, the symposium featured presentations by two recipients of the 2024 C. David Allis CEI Travel Award, Cosimo Lobello and Alexander Morris. Reflecting on his experience, Cosimo shared, “Presenting my work to such a distinguished audience was an honor, a truly unforgettable opportunity.”
Congratulations to this year’s awardees:
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Chloe Azadegan (Graduate Student - Whetstine Lab, FCCC)
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Millie Coombes (Graduate Student - Whitaker Lab, FCCC)
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Madison Dautle (Graduate Student - Liu Lab, FCCC)
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Aidan Douglas (Graduate Student - Estaras Lab, LKSOM)
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Adria Hasan (Postdoc - Arora Lab, FCCC)
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Dharmendra Kashyap (Postdoc - Duy Lab, FCCC)
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Rebecca Smith (Sci Tech - Liu Lab, FCCC)
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Martin Walsh (Postdoc - Bellacosa Lab, FCCC)
Poster Presentation Awards - Congratulations!
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1st Place: Elizabeth Abraham (Graduate Student - Estaras Lab, LKSOM)
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2nd Place: Mohaddase Hamidi (Postdoc Associate - Torres-Ayuso Lab, LKSOM)
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3rd Place: Martin Walsh (Postdoc Associate - Bellacosa Lab, FCCC)
We wish them the best of luck and look forward to seeing their continued contributions to the field of cancer epigenetics! Next year the Symposium will mark the 5th Anniversary of the creation of CEI and confirmed keynotes include Drs. Victor Ambros (2024 Nobel Prize Recipient) and Kristian Helin (Chief Executive and President of The Institute of Cancer Research, London). Stay tuned for updates on the other world leaders who will be joining us next year.
FTSS
We are thrilled to announce the return of the Fox Chase Trainee Seminar Series (FTSS) for Spring 2025, a vibrant, trainee-led initiative that provides early-career scientists with a platform to present their research, receive constructive feedback, and engage in collaborative discussions with peers and mentors.
Organized by trainees, for trainees, FTSS is spearheaded by Dr. Elham Ahanin and Dr. Adria Hasan, with invaluable support from the Office of Academic Affairs. Special thanks to Dr. Amanda Purdy (Associate Chief Academic Officer and Director, Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Training Program) and Sarah Whealen (Administrative Assistant) for their behind-the-scenes efforts and continued commitment to the success of the Series.
The Spring session officially launched on February 24, 2025, with an engaging talk by Dr. Stephen Willis, postdoctoral associate in Dr. Sara Small’s lab. His presentation, titled “Utilizing Schlafen 11 as a Predictive Biomarker of Chemotherapy Resistance in AML,” set the stage for a season of impactful science and meaningful dialogue.
In addition to the stellar lineup of trainee presenters, FTSS is fortunate to have the guidance of our dedicated faculty committee: Drs. Khadijah Mitchell, Mitchell Fane, and Yu (Sunny) Liu. Their mentorship adds depth to the discussions and supports the continued growth and development of our trainees’ research.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with colleagues, engage with emerging science, and support the next generation of investigators. We look forward to your participation throughout the Spring 2025 FTSS season!
Key Publications this Past Quarter
Chloe Azadegan
Graduate Student
Whetstine Laboratory
Azadegan C., Santoro J., Whetstine J.R., Connecting the dots: Epigenetic regulation of extrachromosomal and inherited DNA amplifications. J Biol Chem: 108454, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40154613/
Manuel Beltran Visiedo
Postdoc Associate
Galluzzi Laboratory
Beltrán-Visiedo M., Shulman R.M., Galluzzi L., Selective cdk4 inhibition holds promise for breast cancer. Cell Res, 2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-025-01117-4
Alexsandr Dolskii
Postdoc Associate
Cukierman Laboratory
Lukas Bolini Concalves
Postdoc Associate
Galluzzi Laboratory
Bolini L., Knott S.R.V., Galluzzi L., A macrophage-neutrophil program drives mammary carcinogenesis. Trends Cancer, 2025.
Dolskii A., Cukierman E., Fabp4-tastic pancreatic stellate cells coddle kitl to uphold inherent microenvironmental tumor suppression. Cancer Discov: Of1-of3, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40304501/
Emma Guilbaud
Postdoc Associate
Galluzzi Laboratory
Guilbaud E., Galluzzi L., Tumor immunology: A short il18 cleavage product promotes cancer immunosurveillance. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 10(1): 129, 2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-025-02213-y
Madison Honer
Graduate Student
Whetstine Laboratory
Zach H. Gray, Madison A. Honer, Pooja Ghatalia, Yang Shi, Johnathan R. Whetstine, 20 years of histone lysine demethylases: From discovery to the clinic and beyond, Cell, Volume 188, Issue 7, 2025,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867425002119
Nick Maskalenko
Postdoc Associate
Campbell Laboratory
Maskalenko N.A., Zahroun S., Tsygankova O., Anikeeva N., Sykulev Y.,Campbell K.S., The fcγriiia (cd16) l48-h/r polymorphism enhances nk cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity by promoting serial killing. Cancer Immunol Res. 13(3): 417-429, 2025.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39666369/
Movie Night
Why not… watch a movie with your work family? 🎥🍿
In February, we gathered for a relaxing evening of pizza, popcorn, and Valentine’s-themed cupcakes to watch The Parent Trap. It was the perfect way to unwind after a busy day of experiments, meetings, and endless writing! A big shout-out to Anna Honer from the Board of Associates for the delicious pizza!
Who’s behind these amazing events? 🙌 The Trainee Social Committee at Fox Chase Cancer Center, led by Brianna Amato and Dr. Amanda Purdy, and a dedicated group of postdocs, graduate students, and scientific technicians: Carson Cohen, Dr. Kelly Coutant, Dr. Adria Hasan, Dr. Cosimo Lobello, David Rushmore, Aizhan Surumbayeva, and Rebecca Smith.
Bowling Social
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What a Strike! We’ve always known that our trainees are outstanding scientists, but it turns out some of them are also bowling pros, well, at least a few! 😊
Many of our trainees came together for a fun bowling day, where strikes and spares were hand in hand with laughter and some friendly competition. Between rolling for strikes, enjoying delicious pizza, and sharing great conversations, everyone had a fantastic time getting to know each other outside the lab. We were especially excited to welcome many new faces at our March social event, and we can’t wait to see even more of you at our upcoming gatherings. Stay tuned! More great events are on the way!
The next events are...
Tea Time & Ice Cream Social
Date: TBD
3:30 PM, FCCC Cafeteria
RSVP details coming soon.