Agnel Sfeir

Agnel Sfeir is a Professor at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), affiliated with the Graduate School of Medical Sciences and the Department of Molecular Biology. Her research focuses on chromosome biology, genome stability, DNA repair mechanisms, and the interplay between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.

Her educational background includes undergraduate studies at the American University of Beirut, a Ph.D. from UT Southwestern, and postdoctoral training under Titia de Lange at the Rockefeller University. She established her independent lab at NYU's Skirball Institute in 2012 before relocating to MSKCC in 2021.

Dr. Sfeir's research centers on three major areas: telomere maintenance in cancer, error-prone DNA repair pathways like microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ), and mitochondrial DNA replication and repair. She investigates how cells coordinate quality control mechanisms across organelles, particularly focusing on mito-nuclear crosstalk and the role of polymerase theta in mutagenic repair.

Her recent work reflects a strong emphasis on understanding fundamental biological processes that underlie genomic instability, using integrated approaches combining genetic screens, computational modeling, and molecular biology tools. The trend in her publications highlights a deepening exploration into mitochondrial genome dynamics and its implications for cancer and aging.

• Mallinckrodt Scholar Award (2018)
• Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators (2016)
• The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Award (2014)
• NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (2014)
• Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research (2014)
• Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovator Award (2013)
• Blavatnik Award Finalist (Postdoctoral, 2010)
• Nominata Award, UT Southwestern (2006)

Dr. Sfeir mentors trainees and leads a dynamic research group investigating fundamental questions in chromosome biology. Her lab has secured significant grant support through awards such as the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and the Pershing Square Sohn Prize, reflecting the innovative nature of her work. She emphasizes immersive project engagement and personalized mentorship, encouraging creative thinking and problem-solving.

The Sfeir Lab operates at MSKCC, employing a multifaceted approach to study genome stability. The team combines cutting-edge molecular techniques with computational analysis to explore how nuclear and mitochondrial genomes communicate and co-evolve to maintain cellular homeostasis.