Karen Cichowski

Karen Cichowski is a Research Professor at Brigham and Women's Hospital, focusing on elucidating how deregulated cell signaling drives cancer. Her lab integrates mouse modeling with biochemical and cell biological studies to investigate the Ras pathway's role in nervous system, lung, prostate, and breast cancers, while developing novel therapies, some of which have entered clinical trials.

• Research Fellow lab members: Masha Enos, Stephanie Guerra, Becky Lock, Abby Miller, Naiara Perurena
• Graduate Student lab members: Ryan Kuzmickas, Haley Manchester, Marina Watanabe

Her lab identified RasGAPs as a new family of tumor and metastasis suppressors, which regulate Ras signaling and serve as scaffolds integrating Ras with other pathways. The lab also explores epigenetic regulation in Ras-driven cancers and investigates the NF1 tumor suppressor gene's role in familial and sporadic cancers, including glioblastoma and neurofibromatosis-related tumors. Recent studies highlight therapeutic strategies combining MNK and MEK inhibitors for NF1-mutant cancers, mTOR and HDAC inhibitors for Ras-driven tumors, and BRD4-based therapies for PRC2-deficient cancers. Collaborations include the Children's Tumor Foundation, Department of Defense-funded research, and the Mouse Models of Human Cancers Consortium.