Verline Justilien

Verline Justilien, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Cancer Biology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and a Senior Associate Consultant in the Department of Cancer Biology at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms driving lung and pancreatic cancer, particularly lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). She investigates oncogenic drivers such as Ect2, PKCι, and SOX2, and their roles in tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance.

Dr. Justilien earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Florida and her BSc in Microbiology and Cell Science from the same institution. Her work combines genomic analysis, bioinformatics, and in vivo mouse models to identify therapeutic vulnerabilities and develop targeted treatments. She has pioneered studies on ribosome biogenesis in cancer and cancer stem cell biology, with a focus on translational strategies to improve early detection and treatment.

Her research highlights include demonstrating Ect2's role in rRNA synthesis and its sensitivity to polymerase I inhibitors, as well as elucidating the 3q26 chromosomal gain's role in LSCC. She has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the American Association for Cancer Research Minority Scholar Award (2014) and the Biochemical Journal Young Investigator Award (2009).

Dr. Justilien leads the Molecular Mechanisms of Tumorigenesis Laboratory, which develops novel models to study cancer drivers and explores therapeutic strategies targeting cancer stem cells and oncogenic signaling pathways. Her work bridges basic research and clinical translation, aiming to enhance patient care through innovative treatments and diagnostic markers.