Principal Investigator
John Blenis, Ph.D.
Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Professor in Cancer Research
Associate Director of Basic Science, The Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center
Professor of Pharmacology
Post-Doctoral Associate
Charlotte Bellamy, Ph.D.
Charlotte Bellamy is interested in cell signaling and how its regulatory machinery becomes dysregulated in cancer. In the Blenis Laboratory, she studies mechanism of resistance to mTOR inhibition in breast cancer, aiming to define the molecular programs that sustain residual disease and identify therapeutically actionable vulnerabilities.
Post-Doctoral Associate
Guillermo Burgos Barragan, Ph.D.
Dr. Barragan’s research focuses on understanding and exploiting the connection between metabolism and DNA stability in cancer. He is developing a novel therapeutic strategy that uses high doses of vitamins to selectively eliminate cancer cells by generating metabolic genotoxins. Additionally, Guillermo is investigating how vitamin deficiencies contribute to cancer development. In 2024, he was awarded the Idea Development Award from the Department of Defense Lung Cancer Research Program and an R03 grant from the National Cancer Institute to support his work.
Post-Doctoral Associate
Jacob Cecil, Ph.D.
Dr. Cecil's research focuses on the fundamental processes regulating cell growth through mitogenic signaling, specifically via the mTORC1 pathway. In particular, his project seeks to explore new roles for kinase signaling in the process of ribosome biogenesis.
Post-Doctoral Associate
Margot Chirikjian, Ph.D.
Dr. Chirikjian obtained her PhD in metabolic biology from Columbia University in the lab of Dr. Utpal Pajvani. Her doctoral work focused on PTM regulation of pancreatic beta cell nutrient sensing and insulin secretion in the context of type II diabetes and obesity. She is interested in exploring how obesity and adipose tissue fuels cancer metastasis.
Principal Investigator
John Blenis, Ph.D.
Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Professor in Cancer Research
Associate Director of Basic Science, The Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center
Professor of Pharmacology
Instructors &
Post-Doctoral Associates
Charlotte Bellamy, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Associate
Charlotte Bellamy is interested in cell signaling and how its regulatory machinery becomes dysregulated in cancer. In the Blenis Laboratory, she studies mechanism of resistance to mTOR inhibition in breast cancer, aiming to define the molecular programs that sustain residual disease and identify therapeutically actionable vulnerabilities.
Jennifer Endress, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Associate
Post-Doctoral Associate
As a Charles H. Revson Fellow in the Blenis Lab, Dr. Koundouros work focuses on delineating the mechanisms through which breast cancer cells sense and utilize dietary essential fatty acids to fuel their growth and proliferation. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop personalized therapeutic strategies that combine nutritional and pharmacological interventions to exploit these genetic and metabolic interactions.
Nikos Koundouros, Ph.D.
Zhongchi (Justin) Li, Ph.D.
Instructor
With comprehensive training in aging biology and physiology, Dr. Li is focused on understanding how age-related metabolic dysfunction contributes to cancer progression. In particular, his research explores how propionate metabolism influences both tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment, driving therapy resistance and metastasis. Dr. Li has been recognized for his work with the Glenn Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship and a K99/R00 Career Development Award from the NIA.
Margot Chirikjian, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Associate
mkc7003@med.cornell.edu
Dr. Chirikjian obtained her PhD in metabolic biology from Columbia University in the lab of Dr. Utpal Pajvani. Her doctoral work focused on PTM regulation of pancreatic beta cell nutrient sensing and insulin secretion in the context of type II diabetes and obesity. She is interested in exploring how obesity and adipose tissue fuels cancer metastasis.
Post-Doctoral Associate
Dr. Barragan’s research focuses on understanding and exploiting the connection between metabolism and DNA stability in cancer. He is developing a novel therapeutic strategy that uses high doses of vitamins to selectively eliminate cancer cells by generating metabolic genotoxins. Additionally, Guillermo is investigating how vitamin deficiencies contribute to cancer development. In 2024, he was awarded the Idea Development Award from the Department of Defense Lung Cancer Research Program and an R03 grant from the National Cancer Institute to support his work.
Guillermo Burgos Barragan, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Associate
Dr. Cecil's research focuses on the fundamental processes regulating cell growth through mitogenic signaling, specifically via the mTORC1 pathway. In particular, his project seeks to explore new roles for kinase signaling in the process of ribosome biogenesis.
Jacob Cecil, Ph.D.
Michal Nagiec, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Nagiec is a cell biologist with training in pharmacology that is interested in the fundamental questions of how cells process information and produce appropriate responses. He is particularly interested in how metastatic cancer cells balance proliferation with the ability to migrate and how these cells adapt to stresses associated with tumor spread. The goal of his research is to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in processes unique to metastatic cells for therapeutic benefit.
Graduate Students
Trevor Wong
Ph.D. Student in Pharmacology
M. Ed., PMP
Ph.D. Student in Pharmacology
Moniquetta works to understand how cancer cells alter metabolic pathways to enable metastatic progression. Specifically, she is working on understanding how abnormal accumulation of propionate metabolism intermediates may support cancer cell ability to activate cell migration and chemoresistance.
Moniquetta Shafer
Research Technicians & Staff
Nayah Bullen
Research Technician II
Lai Wa Chu
Research Technician I
Theodora Brophy
Research Technician II
Theodora obtained her MSc from Imperial College London in Molecular Biology & Pathology of Viruses, where she used single molecule imaging techniques to study UL9, HSV-1’s origin binding protein, to investigate viral replication dynamics. Prior to her MSc, Theodora conducted clinical and translational infectious disease research, including studies of HIV and the vaginal microbiome. Her research interests focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying human disease and how these mechanisms can reveal opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Outside the lab, she enjoys staying active and her longstanding interest in classical Latin and ancient history.
