Seth Parker

Dr. Seth Parker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine. Based at BC Children’s Hospital, his research group deciphers how nutrient transporters and metabolic reprogramming drive diseases such as cancer, with a special focus on childhood leukemia. He combines biochemical assays, molecular biology, and cutting-edge mass-spectrometry platforms to reveal druggable metabolic vulnerabilities.

Research Interests

• Transporter Biology: Discovery and functional characterization of solute carrier (SLC) transporters that dictate nutrient flux in diseased cells.
• Compartmentalized Metabolism: Development of organelle-specific metabolomics to understand how enzyme isoform localization provides a proliferative advantage to tumors.
• Pediatric Leukemia: Identification of selective metabolic dependencies in relapsed childhood leukemia and evaluation of transporter-targeted therapies as alternatives to systemic nutrient depletion.

Research Output & Trends
Across 2020-2024, Dr. Parker has co-authored multiple high-impact studies (Nature, Cell, Nat Cancer, Cancer Discov) that collectively map metabolic rewiring in pancreatic cancer, glioma, Ewing sarcoma, and leukemia. A consistent theme is the integration of metabolomics, proteomics, and in vivo models to translate metabolic findings into therapeutic strategies.

Scientific Awards
No specific awards were listed in the provided text.

Training & Mentorship
Dr. Parker actively recruits graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and research associates. His lab website invites prospective trainees to inquire about opportunities in metabolomics, transporter biology, and pediatric cancer research.

Labs & Teams
The Parker Laboratory is located in the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, with access to core facilities for mass spectrometry, flow cytometry, and animal models, fostering collaborative networks across UBC and the BC Cancer Research Centre.