Jill Bargonetti is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Hunter College, City University of New York, where she holds the Hesselbach Professorship. She serves as Professor and past chair of the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology subprogram of the Ph.D. Program in Biology at The CUNY Graduate Center, and directs the NSF-funded NYRaMP.org post-baccalaureate program. Since 1994, she has led the Bargonetti Lab at Hunter College, conducting groundbreaking research in cancer biology. Dr. Bargonetti earned her B.A. at SUNY College at Purchase, followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from New York University. She completed postdoctoral work at Columbia University (1990-1994). Her research focuses on signal transduction pathways converging on the tumor suppressor p53, particularly studying mutant p53 (mtp53), MDM2, and MDMX molecular pathways in breast cancer. She investigates p53-independent cell death pathways using human cancer cell line models, xenograft models, and C. elegans nematode models. Her innovative work includes developing the 'Choreographing Genomics' course that teaches genome information flow through post-modern dance movement and choreography, reflecting her background as a professional dancer. Her recent publications reveal strong trends in targeting mutant p53 pathways, particularly the mtp53-PARP-MCM axis, and exploring MDM2/MDMX roles in breast cancer metastasis. Her research spans molecular mechanisms of cancer, DNA repair pathways, and developing novel therapeutic approaches for treatment-resistant cancers, with significant emphasis on triple-negative breast cancer. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (from President Bill Clinton) New York City Mayor's Award for Excellence in Science and Technology New York Voice Award Kathy Keeton Mountain Top Award from the NAACP Outstanding Woman Scientist Award from Association for Women in Science NYU and SUNY Purchase Outstanding Alumnae Achievement Awards Bronx High School of Science Hall of Fame Profiled by Working Mother as a 'Stellar Mom' Dr. Bargonetti has secured substantial research funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, METAvivor, American Cancer Society, and Department of Defense. She previously served on the NIH Tumor Cell Biology study section grant review panel (2012-2018). Her laboratory actively mentors undergraduate students through the Introduction to Experimental Biology course, with research opportunities in cancer biology and C. elegans genetics. The Bargonetti Lab continues to investigate mutant p53 pathways and develop novel approaches to target treatment-resistant breast cancer subtypes.








