The Bakhoum lab focuses on understanding the role of chromosomal instability (CIN) in tumor evolution. CIN is a hallmark of human cancer and it is associated with poor prognosis, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. It results from errors in chromosome segregation during mitosis, leading to structural and numerical chromosomal abnormalities. In addition to generating genomic heterogeneity that acts as a substrate for natural selection, CIN promotes inflammatory signaling by introducing genomic double-stranded DNA into the cytosol, engaging cytosolic DNA-sensing antiviral innate immune pathways. These multipronged effects distinguish CIN as a central driver of tumor evolution and as a genomic source for the crosstalk between the tumor and its microenvironment.
Samuel Bakhoum, MD, PhD
Assistant Member, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program; Assistant Attending, Department of Radiation Oncology
Assistant Professor
Research Focus
Physician-scientist Samuel Bakhoum studies the role of chromosomal instability in tumor evolution and metastasis.Lab Members
Albert Agustinus
Weill Cornell Graduate Student
Ninjit Dhanota
Postdoctoral Fellow
Melody Di Bona
Postdoctoral Fellow
Mercedes Duran
Research Technician
Sergi Elizalde
Visiting Professor and Collaborator
John Kwon
Weill Cornell Medical Student
Jun Li
Postdoctoral Fellow
Anestashia Melford
Administrative Assistant
Nimi Vashi
Postdoctoral Fellow
Publications
- Bakhoum SF, Ngo B, Laughney AM, Cavallo JA, Murphy CJ, Ly P, Shah P, Sriram RK, Watkins TBK, Taunk NK, Duran M, Pauli C, Shaw C, Chadalavada K, Rajasekhar VK, Genovese G, Venkatesan S, BirkBak NJ, McGranahan N, Lundquist M, Laplant Q, Healy JH, Elemento O, Chung CH, Lee NY, Imielenski M, Nanjangud G, Pe’er D, Cleveland D, Powell SN, Lammerding J, Swanton C, Cantley LC (2018) Chromosomal Instability drives metastasis through a cytosolic DNA response. Nature: 553, 467-472.
- Bakhoum SF (corresponding author), Cantley LC (2018) The multifaceted role of chromosomal instability in cancer and its microenvironment. Cell: 174: 1347-1360
Selected Achievements
- AAAS Martin and Rose Wachtel Cancer Research Award (Honorable mention)
- NIH Director’s Independence Award (2018-2023)
- Josie Robertson Investigator (2018-2023)
- Blavatnik Regional Award for Young Scientists (Finalist) (2018)
- Tri-Institutional Breakout Prize (2018)
