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Nilay Singh Sethi, M.D., Ph.D.

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Biography
The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJB.S.05/2004Biology
Princeton University, Princeton, NJPh.D.06/2010Molecular Biology
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJM.D.05/2012
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA06/2014Internal medicine
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA6/2018Hematology/Oncology
2003
Joseph Vina Junior Award (TCNJ)
2004
Bristol Myers Squibb Senior Award (TCNJ)
2010
MD/PhD Conference Award (MGH-Karolinska-Cell Press Days of Molecular Medicine Conference)
2010
AACR Scholar-in-Training Award (Joint MRS Conference)
2011
Gallo Award for Scientific Excellence (NJCCR)
2011
New Jersey Cancer Research Award for Scientific (NJCCR) Excellece
2012
Outstanding Achievement in the MD-PhD Program
2012
Dean's Research Award (RWJMS)
2013
Favorite Doctor | Staff Holiday Awards (UCSF)
2019
AACR Scholar-in-Training Award ( Environmental Carcinogenesis Conference)
2020
ASCI Young Physician Scientist Award

Overview
My passion for investigative research is fundamentally dependent on its power to impact our understanding of human disease and ultimately improve patient care. I engage basic and translational research efforts to generate opportunities for advances in medical oncology. In particular, I am committed to understanding the specific genomic alterations and fundamental molecular mechanisms that promote gastrointestinal malignancies with the hope that novel insights will translate into clinical advances.

Mentoring
Available: 10/15/20, Expires: 10/15/24

Project description and duties: The overall goal of the Sethi laboratory (http://sethilab.dana-farber.org/) is to combine clinical observations and patient-derived data with rigorous basic research to yield opportunities for translational advances. In particular, we are focused on better understanding gastrointestinal cancers with the hope that this knowledge will stimulate new ideas for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these deadly cancers. Currently, the research projects in the lab fall under two categories: (1) investigate the therapeutic efficacy of DNA damage response inhibitors in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinomas and (2) define the mechanism underlying differentiation blocks in colorectal cancer. Each of these research themes is broken down into smaller projects led by postdoctoral fellows and/or graduate students. The goal is to assemble a team composed of trainees of different levels to maximize collaborative science. Depending on the student’s passion and needs of the laboratory, a project of mutual interest will be assigned.

Skills required: For the remote research opportunity, students should be familiar with basic concepts in cell and molecular biology. To maximize the ability of the student to learn from the remote experience, a basic knowledge of programming in R is preferred. The student will work with members of the laboratory to build on basic biology and computational skillsets. When students return to campus, hands-on wet lab research experience will be the goal. Student’s with experience in techniques in cell and molecular biology will be preferred, but all students will be considered regardless of experience. The most important factor is motivation to learn and commitment to the team.

Learning outcomes: Students will benefit in many ways when engaging the lab: (1) they will learn how to thinking critically and understanding how hypotheses are generated; (2) they will learn how to design careful and well-controlled experiments to test emergent hypotheses; (3) for remote work, students will learn how to apply computational tools to interrogate molecular data sets such as those generated from whole exome (DNA) sequencing, RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, CHIP-seq, and ATAC-seq to answer specific questions and generate new relationships; (4) when students return to campus, they will learn laboratory techniques in cell and molecular biology; (5) career mentorship for residency and fellowship placement will also be part of the experience.

Nilay Seth is the primary mentor. Please visit http://sethilab.dana-farber.org/ to learn more about the laboratory. Please send a statement of interest and resume (nilay_sethi@dfci.harvard.edu)


Research
The research activities and funding listed below are automatically derived from NIH ExPORTER and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing items. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.
  1. K08DK120930 (SETHI, NILAY) Apr 1, 2019 - Jan 31, 2024
    NIH
    Integration of early genetic alterations and inflammation in gastroesophageal premalignancy
    Role: Principal Investigator
  2. (Sethi) Jul 1, 2018 - Jun 30, 2020
    Claudia Adams Barr Program in Cancer Research
    Elucidating the Molecular Mechanisms of Mutant SOX9 in Colorectal Cancer

Bibliographic
Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.
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PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
  1. Prosz A, Duan H, Tisza V, Sahgal P, Topka S, Klus GT, Börcsök J, Sztupinszki Z, Hanlon T, Diossy M, Vizkeleti L, Stormoen DR, Csabai I, Pappot H, Vijai J, Offit K, Ried T, Sethi N, Mouw KW, Spisak S, Pathania S, Szallasi Z. Nucleotide excision repair deficiency is a targetable therapeutic vulnerability in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. bioRxiv. 2023 Feb 07. PMID: 36798363; PMCID: PMC9934582.
    Citations:    
  2. Chatila WK, Walch H, Hechtman JF, Moyer SM, Sgambati V, Faleck DM, Srivastava A, Tang L, Benhamida J, Ismailgeci D, Campos C, Wu F, Chang Q, Vakiani E, de Stanchina E, Weiser MR, Widmar M, Yantiss RK, Shah MA, Bass AJ, Stadler ZK, Katz LH, Mellinghoff IK, Sethi NS, Schultz N, Ganesh K, Kelsen D, Yaeger R. Integrated clinical and genomic analysis identifies driver events and molecular evolution of colitis-associated cancers. Nat Commun. 2023 01 07; 14(1):110. PMID: 36611031; PMCID: PMC9825391.
    Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Animals
  3. Peng K, Zhang F, Wang Y, Sahgal P, Li T, Zhou J, Liang X, Zhang Y, Sethi N, Liu T, Zhang H, Bass AJ. Development of Combination Strategies for Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibition in Diffuse Gastric Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2023 01 04; 29(1):197-208. PMID: 36278961; PMCID: PMC9812865.
    Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
  4. Keller RB, Mazor T, Sholl L, Aguirre AJ, Singh H, Sethi N, Bass A, Nagaraja AK, Brais LK, Hill E, Hennessey C, Cusick M, Del Vecchio Fitz C, Zwiesler Z, Siegel E, Ovalle A, Trukhanov P, Hansel J, Shapiro GI, Abrams TA, Biller LH, Chan JA, Cleary JM, Corsello SM, Enzinger AC, Enzinger PC, Mayer RJ, McCleary NJ, Meyerhardt JA, Ng K, Patel AK, Perez KJ, Rahma OE, Rubinson DA, Wisch JS, Yurgelun MB, Hassett MJ, MacConaill L, Schrag D, Cerami E, Wolpin BM, Nowak JA, Giannakis M. Programmatic Precision Oncology Decision Support for Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer. JCO Precis Oncol. 2023 01; 7:e2200342. PMID: 36634297; PMCID: PMC9929103.
    Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
  5. Huffman BM, Ellis H, Jordan AC, Freed-Pastor WA, Perez K, Rubinson DA, Sethi N, Singh H, Surana R, Wolpin BM, Aguirre AJ, Cleary JM. Emerging Role of Targeted Therapy in Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Dec 16; 14(24). PMID: 36551707; PMCID: PMC9776746.
    Citations:    
  6. Tanton H, Sewastianik T, Seo HS, Remillard D, Pierre RS, Bala P, Aitymbayev D, Dennis P, Adler K, Geffken E, Yeoh Z, Vangos N, Garbicz F, Scott D, Sethi N, Bradner J, Dhe-Paganon S, Carrasco RD. A novel ß-catenin/BCL9 complex inhibitor blocks oncogenic Wnt signaling and disrupts cholesterol homeostasis in colorectal cancer. Sci Adv. 2022 04 29; 8(17):eabm3108. PMID: 35486727; PMCID: PMC9054024.
    Citations:    Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
  7. Kim M, Ly SH, Xie Y, Duronio GN, Ford-Roshon D, Hwang JH, Sulahian R, Rennhack JP, So J, Gjoerup O, Talamas JA, Grandclaudon M, Long HW, Doench JG, Sethi NS, Giannakis M, Hahn WC. YAP1 and PRDM14 converge to promote cell survival and tumorigenesis. Dev Cell. 2022 01 24; 57(2):212-227.e8. PMID: 34990589; PMCID: PMC8827663.
    Citations:    Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
  8. Sahgal P, Huffman BM, Patil DT, Chatila WK, Yaeger R, Cleary JM, Sethi NS. Early TP53 Alterations Shape Gastric and Esophageal Cancer Development. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Nov 24; 13(23). PMID: 34885025; PMCID: PMC8657039.
    Citations:    
  9. Liang X, Duronio GN, Yang Y, Bala P, Hebbar P, Spisak S, Sahgal P, Singh H, Zhang Y, Xie Y, Cejas P, Long HW, Bass AJ, Sethi NS. An Enhancer-Driven Stem Cell-Like Program Mediated by SOX9 Blocks Intestinal Differentiation in Colorectal Cancer. Gastroenterology. 2022 01; 162(1):209-222. PMID: 34571027.
    Citations:    Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
  10. Cleary JM, Wolpin BM, Dougan SK, Raghavan S, Singh H, Huffman B, Sethi NS, Nowak JA, Shapiro GI, Aguirre AJ, D'Andrea AD. Opportunities for Utilization of DNA Repair Inhibitors in Homologous Recombination Repair-Deficient and Proficient Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2021 12 15; 27(24):6622-6637. PMID: 34285063; PMCID: PMC8678153.
    Citations: 2     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
  11. Sethi NS, Kikuchi O, Duronio GN, Stachler MD, McFarland JM, Ferrer-Luna R, Zhang Y, Bao C, Bronson R, Patil D, Sanchez-Vega F, Liu JB, Sicinska E, Lazaro JB, Ligon KL, Beroukhim R, Bass AJ. Early TP53 alterations engage environmental exposures to promote gastric premalignancy in an integrative mouse model. Nat Genet. 2020 02; 52(2):219-230. PMID: 32025000; PMCID: PMC7031028.
    Citations: 13     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCellsPHPublic Health
  12. Sethi N, Kikuchi O, McFarland J, Zhang Y, Chung M, Kafker N, Islam M, Lampson B, Chakraborty A, Kaelin WG, Bass AJ. Mutant p53 induces a hypoxia transcriptional program in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma. JCI Insight. 2019 08 08; 4(15). PMID: 31391338.
    Citations: 11     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
  13. Liu Y, Sethi NS, Hinoue T, Schneider BG, Cherniack AD, Sanchez-Vega F, Seoane JA, Farshidfar F, Bowlby R, Islam M, Kim J, Chatila W, Akbani R, Kanchi RS, Rabkin CS, Willis JE, Wang KK, McCall SJ, Mishra L, Ojesina AI, Bullman S, Pedamallu CS, Lazar AJ, Sakai R, Thorsson V, Bass AJ, Laird PW. Comparative Molecular Analysis of Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinomas. Cancer Cell. 2018 04 09; 33(4):721-735.e8. PMID: 29622466.
    Citations: 177     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
  14. Sethi N, Sedighi Manesh R, Sperling A, Bresler SC, Connell NT, Tierney LM. Factoring in the missing link. Am J Hematol. 2017 Jan; 92(1):110-113. PMID: 27486087; PMCID: PMC7261369.
    Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
  15. Hayakawa Y, Sethi N, Sepulveda AR, Bass AJ, Wang TC. Oesophageal adenocarcinoma and gastric cancer: should we mind the gap? Nat Rev Cancer. 2016 04 26; 16(5):305-18. PMID: 27112208.
    Citations: 45     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
  16. Marmarelis ME, Davis MR, Sethi NS, Krajewksi KM, McKay RR, Choueiri TK, Ott PA. Tumor control with PD-1 inhibition in a patient with concurrent metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer. 2016; 4:26. PMID: 27099755.
    Citations:    Fields:    
  17. Sethi N, Kang Y. Notch signaling: mediator and therapeutic target of bone metastasis. Bonekey Rep. 2012; 1:3. PMID: 23951415.
    Citations: 9     
  18. Sethi N, Kang Y. Unravelling the complexity of metastasis - molecular understanding and targeted therapies. Nat Rev Cancer. 2011 Sep 23; 11(10):735-48. PMID: 21941285.
    Citations: 157     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
  19. Sethi N, Dai X, Winter CG, Kang Y. Tumor-derived JAGGED1 promotes osteolytic bone metastasis of breast cancer by engaging notch signaling in bone cells. Cancer Cell. 2011 Feb 15; 19(2):192-205. PMID: 21295524; PMCID: PMC3040415.
    Citations: 261     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
  20. Gandhi G, Londoño D, Whetstine CR, Sethi N, Kim KS, Zückert WR, Cadavid D. Interaction of variable bacterial outer membrane lipoproteins with brain endothelium. PLoS One. 2010 Oct 22; 5(10):e13257. PMID: 21063459.
    Citations: 2     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
  21. Sethi N, Yan Y, Quek D, Schupbach T, Kang Y. Rabconnectin-3 is a functional regulator of mammalian Notch signaling. J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 05; 285(45):34757-64. PMID: 20810660.
    Citations: 37     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
  22. Sethi N, Kang Y. Dysregulation of developmental pathways in bone metastasis. Bone. 2011 Jan; 48(1):16-22. PMID: 20630490.
    Citations: 25     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
  23. Deshpande G, Sethi N, Schedl P. toutvelu, a regulator of heparan sulfate proteoglycan biosynthesis, controls guidance cues for germ-cell migration. Genetics. 2007 Jun; 176(2):905-12. PMID: 17409068.
    Citations: 6     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
  24. Sethi N, Sondey M, Bai Y, Kim KS, Cadavid D. Interaction of a neurotropic strain of Borrelia turicatae with the cerebral microcirculation system. Infect Immun. 2006 Nov; 74(11):6408-18. PMID: 16940140; PMCID: PMC1695479.
    Citations: 8     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
  25. Wolansky LJ, Haghighi MH, Sevdalis E, Cook SD, Sethi N, Liu J, Joseph G, Tulloch K, Cadavid D. Safety of serial monthly administration of triple-dose gadopentetate dimeglumine in multiple sclerosis patients: preliminary results of the BECOME trial. J Neuroimaging. 2005 Jul; 15(3):289-90. PMID: 15951416.
    Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:HumansCTClinical Trials
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Funded by the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through its Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program, grant number UL1TR002541.