معرفی
Rachel E. Rau, M.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics-Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine. She leads the Rachel Rau Lab, which focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms driving leukemogenesis and therapy resistance with the goal of developing better therapies for leukemia patients.
Dr. Rau received her B.A. from Case Western Reserve University, her M.D. from Ohio State University College of Medicine, and completed advanced training at Johns Hopkins University.
The Rau Lab's research centers on epigenetic aberrations in leukemia. Leukemias are characterized by aberrant, immature blood cells that proliferate rapidly and resist normal cellular death. A major focus is understanding how epigenetic regulation, which impacts cell fate through modification of gene expression rather than genetic code changes, is exploited by leukemia cells to promote uncontrolled growth and resist cell death. The lab uses murine models, primary patient samples, and cell line models to identify critical epigenetic factors that promote leukemia development and devise targeted approaches to therapeutically 're-program' the malignant epigenetic code.
Current projects include studying DNMT3A function in hematopoiesis, cohesin deficiency in myeloid malignancies, and chemoresistance in IKZF1-deleted B lymphoblastic leukemia. Dr. Rau's publications span high-impact journals including Blood, Cancer Cell, and Nature Reviews Cancer, revealing trends toward understanding epigenetic drivers of leukemia and developing targeted therapies that minimize the toxicities of conventional chemotherapy.
- Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation Childhood Cancer Research Grant (2022)
Dr. Rau mentors several researchers including Shannon Conneely (Instructor), Kristen Kurtz, and Rohit Gupta. Her lab has secured significant grant funding for childhood leukemia research, particularly focusing on epigenetic mechanisms of disease. The Rau Lab collaborates extensively with researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, particularly with Dr. Margaret Goodell's lab, and participates in multi-institutional research efforts.
The Rau Lab maintains state-of-the-art facilities at Baylor College of Medicine's One Baylor Plaza location, using advanced molecular and cellular techniques to study leukemia biology. The lab is actively engaged in translational research with the goal of moving discoveries from bench to bedside for pediatric leukemia patients.
