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CHOI LABORATORY

The Choi lab performs basic and pre-clinical research that combines multidisciplinary approaches to understand mechanisms of carcinogenic transition in gastric carcinogenesis using novel in vivo and in vitro models which are unique in the gastric cancer field.

DOD Translational Team Science Award, a new grant, funded!

Jun. 21, 2024—We will determine if we can predict the ability of pyrvinium to reprogram the gastric mucosa using patient-derived pre-cancer organoids.  Also, we will initiate a clinical trial to evaluate the ability of a 2-week treatment with pyrvinium to reprogram metaplasia in a high-risk diverse population at Duke University in North Carolina. Grant funds research for therapies...

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Welcome Amanda!

Apr. 18, 2024—Amanda, welcome to our lab!  I bet you’re going to be an amazing addition. Welcome aboard!

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A new paper in 2024!

Jan. 29, 2024—Our new paper entitled “Oncogenic fatty acid metabolism rewires energy supply chain in gastric carcinogenesis” has been published in Gastroenterology! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38272100/  

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Eunyoung received a AACR-Debbie’s Dream Foundation Innovation and Discovery Grant!

Jan. 9, 2024—We have identified a unique monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) which fuels dysplastic cell hyperproliferation and survival. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), a catalytic enzyme in the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, is specifically upregulated in the transitioning area from metaplasia to dysplasia and strongly expressed in human gastric patient tissues with dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. In this...

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Welcome Anavi!

Oct. 17, 2023—We welcome Anavi, a new undergraduate in the lab! She is becoming a molecular biology expert!

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Congrats to Halee!

Oct. 17, 2023—Halee successfully passed her oral qualifying exam! Great Job!

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We welcome Suyeon!

Apr. 21, 2023—We welcome Suyeon, a new postdoc in the lab! She will study SPEM cell plasticity and evolution with cell biology concepts.

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The new website of Vanderbilt EBC center!

Mar. 23, 2023—epithelialbiology.org  

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Eunyoung is a recipient of the Gastric Cancer Foundation Award!

Nov. 2, 2022—Foundation Awards Two $100,000 Grants to Advance Gastric Cancer Research  

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We welcome Hannah!

Nov. 2, 2022—Hannah is a new research assistant in our lab.  She will work on our transgenic animals!

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We are part of a new NCI program to study the Origins of Gastroesophageal Cancers!

Oct. 12, 2022—This NCI program (funded through RFA-CA-21-026/RFA-CA-21-027) is designed to examine and define the earliest biological changes in malignant transformation. It builds on recent molecular classifications of gastroesophageal cancers, understanding of their cancer genomics, and advances in stem cell research to decipher how these cancers initially evolve at the cellular level. The initiative addresses the complex mechanisms...

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We welcome Youngwon!

Aug. 29, 2022—We welcome Youngwon, a new postdoc in the lab! He will investigate molecular mechanisms driving cell lineage diversification and evolution of dysplasia to adenocarcinoma.

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New R01 awarded!

Aug. 29, 2022—The Choi lab is really excited to start a brand new, second, R01 in September!  We want more postdocs! If anyone is interested in cell of origin of gastric cancer or metaplastic cell plasticity, please contact Eunyoung Choi, eunyoung.choi@vumc.org.

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A big congratulations to Alexis!

Aug. 29, 2022—Alexis successfully passed her oral qualifying exam! Way to go!

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