I completed my Ph.D. in Cancer Biology at Okayama University, Japan, in 2019, where my research contributed to the development of a novel model for liver cancer stem cells (CSCs), which was published in the British Journal of Cancer. Afterward, I was awarded a postdoctoral scholarship by the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). During my postdoctoral work, I demonstrated that CSCs could serve as a valuable source of tumor-associated myoepithelial cells, playing a key role in the differentiation of mammary gland epithelial cells and their progression to invasive carcinoma. One of my key achievements includes authoring the book Methods in Cancer Stem Cell Biology, published by Springer, which delves into cancer stem cell biology and related techniques.
Currently, I am based in the Department of Oncology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where I continue to expand my cancer research expertise. In this role, I focus on drug screening using organoids derived from primary tumors, metastases, and patient-derived CTCs. My research aims to identify specific drugs that can inhibit metastasis—the leading cause of death in cancer patients—by determining the most effective drug combinations for individual patients. My career has been shaped by two primary research interests: first, identifying the cancer-inducing niche responsible for initiating cancer, and second, exploring effective strategies to halt metastasis.
Well done!
