Camila dos Santos

Camila dos Santos is an Associate Professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), leading the dos Santos Lab and co-leading the Cancer Genomics, Immunology, and Endocrinology Program in the CSHL Cancer Center. Her research focuses on understanding how pregnancy-induced epigenetic changes influence breast cancer risk and mammary gland development. She has pioneered studies on the long-term epigenetic reprogramming of mammary cells during pregnancy, revealing mechanisms that reduce cancer susceptibility.

Education & Training:

• Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil (2007)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (2007–2008), and CSHL (2008–2015) under Gregory Hannon

Research Interests: Her lab investigates pregnancy’s role in shaping the mammary epigenome, immune interactions in cancer, and therapeutic strategies mimicking pregnancy’s protective effects. Key areas include:

• Epigenetic regulation of stem cell plasticity
• Immunomodulation in breast cancer progression
• Molecular basis of pregnancy-induced oncoprotection

Publications & Awards: Over 40 peer-reviewed articles, including high-impact work in Nature Genetics, Science Translational Medicine, and Cell Reports. Notable awards include the Pershing Square Sohn Prize, Rita Allen Foundation Scholar designation, and multiple grants from the V Foundation and Simons Foundation.

Grants & Collaborations: Secured funding for projects on breast cancer interception, immunotherapy, and organoid modeling. Collaborates with institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering and Stony Brook University.

Labs & Teams: Her lab integrates genomic, computational, and immunological approaches, with a focus on translational research to develop prevention strategies for breast cancer.