معرفی
Maria T. Diaz-Meco is a Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College since 2020. Her research focuses on cancer biology, particularly colorectal, liver, and prostate cancers, investigating how tumor cells adapt to metabolic and inflammatory conditions in the microenvironment. She studies PB1-containing proteins like p62/SQSTM1, NBR1, and atypical PKC isoforms (PKCλ/ι, PKCζ), which regulate autophagy, metabolic reprogramming, and inflammation.
- Education: Ph.D. (1991) and B.S. (1988), both from Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
Her work identifies therapeutic vulnerabilities in tumors, such as NRF2-EZH2 loops in pancreatic cancer and synthetic lethality in prostate cancer. She collaborates with Jorge Moscat in the Moscat and Diaz-Meco Laboratories, funded by National Cancer Institute grants (2023-2028) for studies on CD44/Hyaluronan axis in prostate cancer and lineage plasticity in neuroendocrine tumors.
Key research themes across publications include:
- Epigenetic and metabolic cross-talk in cancer progression
- Role of p62/SQSTM1 in autophagy and NF-κB signaling
- Immune evasion mechanisms via mitochondrial transfer
- Stromal contribution to tumor growth via metabolic reprogramming
The lab develops innovative models like mouse intestinal co-implantation and organoid staining protocols. They emphasize training future scientists and fostering collaborations with academic and industry partners.
