Member Biography

I am a multiple myeloma physician scientist with the goal of preclinical discovery of new drug targets and lead compounds. I seek to study both the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of normal and malignant plasma cell survival in the bone marrow. I propose to do this in 3 ways. 1) I have an NCI K08 award to study the unfolded protein response, a stress pathway, in normal and malignant plasma cells. The focus of this study is trying to uncover the mechanisms of survival vs. cell death when the main regulator of this pathway is removed (pathway activating). Notice of award was in Sept. 2025. 2) I seek to understand if and how normal bone marrow microenvironmental cells, such as osteoblasts, endothelial cells, mast cells, hematopoietic stem cells and fibroblasts support myeloma growth and survival in the bone marrow. I have a unique prospective approach using a patient derived xenograft model in immunodeficient mice that I created during my postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania that allows me to mix normal human bone marrow cells with purified myeloma cells from patients. We then follow the development of clinical symptoms and signs of disease and evaluate the rate and intensity of formation with or without the normal human cells. We will analyze the marrow serum to determine effectors of observed disease features or increased survival as well as RNA single cell sequence, both spatially and in suspension, the bone marrow of these animals to look at contact receptor/ligand interactions. Subsequent experiments will use the same system combined with in vitro lentiviral knockouts to validate potential targets before moving forward to molecule development through the CD3A program. 3) I am working towards generating de novo immunocompetent mouse models of multiple myeloma oncogenesis to be able to study the temporal changes that occur to create the mostly benign MGUS state that precedes all myeloma and then the subsequent genetic changes that lead to smoldering and eventually full blown multiple myeloma. When successful, this system would open the door to answering some of the most difficult questions about myeloma today, including figuring out whose MGUS will progress to full blown disease and whose will always just be a benign lab finding as well as are there interventions that could be developed to prevent progression of MGUS to myeloma, effectively curing the disease by preventing its formation altogether.

Fellowship - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 2023

Residency - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 2019

M.D. - Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 2017

Ph.D. - Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 2017