Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program

The Piro Lito Lab

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Research

Piro Lito, MD, PhD
Piro Lito, MD, PhD


Assistant Professor

Our group studies the properties of oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth, focusing on lung cancer and other solid tumors. We are interested in understanding how these are activated, their regulatory mechanisms, and how they modulate the behavior of cancer cells. To answer these questions we utilize small molecule inhibitors coupled with biochemical and genetic approaches in patient-derived cell line or xenograft model systems. We aim to provide insight into the fundamental processes that govern tumor biology and to identify therapeutic interventions that will prolong survival and improve the quality of life in patients with cancer. 

Research Projects

The Piro Lito Lab

Featured News

In the Clinic
Piro Lito, Bob Li, and Neal Rosen in the lab
Promising Results from the First-Ever Trial of a Drug that Blocks Cancer Gene KRAS

In the Lab
Representative image of a dividing tumor cell showing the extrachromosomal location of duplicated BRAF genes
Giving Drugs Together — Rather than in Sequence — May Be Key to Halting Tumor Resistance

In the Lab
Colored x-ray of lung cancer
New Lung Cancer Therapy May Target Previously Untreatable Tumors

Publications

Xue JY, Zhao Y, Aronowitz J, Mai TT, Vides A, Qeriqi B, Kim D, Li C, de Stanchina E, Mazutis L, Risso D, Lito P. Rapid non-uniform adaptation to conformation-specific KRAS(G12C) inhibition. Nature. 2020;577(7790):421-5. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1884-x. PMID: 31915379

Hong DS*, Fakih MG, Strickler JH, Desai J, Durm JA,Shapiro GI, Falchook GS, Price TJ, Denlinger CS, Bang YJ, Dy GK, Krauss JC, Kuboki Y, Kuo JC, Coveler AL, Park K, Kim TW, Barlesi F, Munster PN, Burns TF, Meric-Bernstam F, Henary H, Ngang J, Ngarmchamnanrith G, Kim J, Houk BE, Canon J, Lipford JR, Lito P*, Govindan R*, Li BT*. KRAS G12C inhibition in advanced solid tumors. New England Journal of Medicine, 2020. Sep 24;383(13):1207-1217. PMID: 32955176* Equal contribution/co-senior authors

Xue Y, Martelotto L, Baslan T, Vides A, Solomon M, Mai TT, Chaudhary N, Riely GJ, Li BT, Scott K, Cechhi F, Stierner U, Chadalavada K, de Stanchina E, Schwartz S, Hembrough T, Nanjangud G, Berger MF, Nilsson J, Lowe SW, Reis-Filho JS, Rosen N, Lito P. An approach to suppress the evolution of resistance in BRAF(V600E)-mutant cancer. Nature Medicine. 2017;23(8):929-37. doi: 10.1038/nm.4369. PMID: 28714990

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People

Piro Lito, MD, PhD

Piro Lito, MD, PhD



Assistant Professor

  • Physician-scientist Piro Lito studies oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth.
  • MD,PhD, Michigan State University
View physician profile
Physician profile

Members

Dongsung Kim
Dongsung Kim

Research Fellow

Chuanchuan Li, PhD
Chuanchuan Li

Research Scholar

Jessica Lucas
Jessica Lucas

Research Technician

Alberto Vides, BS
Alberto Vides

Research Technician

Yaohua (Jenny) Xue
Yaohua (Jenny) Xue

Tri-I MD/PhD student

Yulei Zhao
Yulei Zhao

Research Fellow

Lab Affiliations

Achievements

  • Josie Robertson Investigator (2016-2021)
  • Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research (2019)
  • Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator (2017)
  • The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Translational Research Award (2015)
  • LUNGevity Foundation, Career Development Award (2015)
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  • NIH K08, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (2015)
  • Stand up to Cancer Lung Cancer Dream Team, Young Investigator (2015)
  • Conquer Cancer Foundation, Young Investigator Award (2013)
  • Charles A. Dana Fellow/Clinical Scholar in Biomedical Research (2011)

Open Positions

Postdoctoral Positions

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