معرفی
Christina M. Ferrer, PhD, is a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Pharmacology & Physiology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a joint appointment at the Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her laboratory, the Ferrer Lab, is dedicated to understanding and combating metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Education
- BS, Biological Sciences, University of Central Florida, 2007
- MS, Biomedical Sciences, Barry University, 2009
- PhD, Molecular & Cell Biology & Genetics, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2015
- Postdoctoral Study, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center & Harvard Medical School, 2020
- Instructor in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center & Harvard Medical School, 2022
Research Focus
Dr. Ferrer’s research centers on the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing metastatic initiation, dissemination, and outgrowth, with a particular emphasis on pancreatic cancer. Using integrative genetic, pharmacological, in-vitro and in-vivo models, her group investigates how intrinsic cellular programs and the tumor microenvironment cooperate to promote metastatic survival. Key themes include metabolic reprogramming, post-translational O-GlcNAcylation, redox homeostasis, and the identification of actionable therapeutic targets against disseminated tumor cells and chemo-resistant metastases.
Across her 2011–2025 publication record, a clear trajectory emerges from early mechanistic studies on O-GlcNAc transferase and SIRT1 in prostate and breast cancers to recent high-impact work elucidating the role of glutathione S-transferase Gstt1 as a driver of pancreatic cancer metastasis and stemness. The collective body of work situates her at the intersection of cancer metabolism, epigenetic regulation, and translational oncology.
Scientific Recognition
Dr. Ferrer has co-authored multiple seminal papers in journals such as Nature Cell Biology, Genes & Development, Molecular Cell, and Oncogene. Her 2018 Genes & Development paper was selected for the issue’s cover image, underscoring its impact.
Laboratory & Team
The Ferrer Lab is housed within the Bressler Research Building (Room 10-039) on the UMB campus. The team employs cutting-edge techniques in metabolomics, genome editing, intravital imaging, and patient-derived models to accelerate discovery and therapeutic development against metastatic pancreatic cancer.
