Lucio H Castilla

Dr. Lucio H Castilla is a Professor at UMass Chan Medical School, with primary appointments in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology within the T.H. Chan School of Medicine. He also holds extensive affiliations across multiple departments at the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, including Cancer Biology, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, MD/PhD Program, and Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program.

Dr. Castilla's educational background includes:

• BS in Genetics from University of Buenos Aires (1988)
• PhD in Genetics from University of Michigan (1995)

Dr. Castilla's research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of leukemia development, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML). His laboratory investigates the role of core-binding-factor (CBF) transcription factors, especially the CBFß-MYH11 fusion gene associated with chromosome 16 inversion in AML. His team uses conditional knock-in and knock-out mouse models, retroviral insertional mutagenesis, and small molecule inhibitors to study how genetic alterations in CBF factors lead to leukemogenesis, with a special emphasis on leukemia-initiating cells and the molecular pathways involved in disease progression.

Analysis of Dr. Castilla's recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a continued focus on RUNX1/CBFβ-related leukemias, with expanding research into inflammation's role in hematologic disorders, familial platelet disorders, and novel therapeutic approaches targeting specific signaling pathways like CD74 and VEGF. His work bridges basic molecular mechanisms with translational applications, increasingly incorporating immune and inflammatory components in leukemogenesis, demonstrating how RUNX1 mutations create inflammatory microenvironments that drive defective hematopoiesis.

Dr. Castilla has received several prestigious awards:

• Special Fellow Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (1999)
• AACR-Sidney Kimmel Symposium for Cancer Research Scholar Award (2002)
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar (2007-2012)

Dr. Castilla actively mentors graduate students through the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and accepts postdoctoral fellows with backgrounds in Cancer Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, or related fields. His laboratory offers rotation projects focused on hematopoietic stem cell function, leukemia initiation mechanisms, and translational research using small molecule inhibitors. His research has been consistently supported by significant grants, including NIH funding (CA58343/CA/NCI), enabling his team to pursue innovative approaches to understanding and treating leukemia.

The Castilla Laboratory maintains an active research program with current team members working on molecular mechanisms driving AML, targeted therapy approaches, and familial platelet disorders associated with hematologic malignancies. The lab utilizes state-of-the-art approaches including genetic, gene editing, genomic, and pharmacologic techniques to elucidate how founding mutations direct leukemia development, with particular attention to identifying therapeutic vulnerabilities in leukemia-initiating cells.