Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Jeff Rathmell lab

My research project focuses on the forced differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells and its impact on glutamine metabolism, epigenetic regulation, and proliferation. Since AML is characterized by a block in differentiation, inducing a differentiated phenotype may limit pathogenesis by limiting leukemic stem cell proliferation. Additionally, since cell differentiation necessitates certain gene silencing by heterochromatin formation, we are also investigating the epigenetic changes that occur upon induction of this differentiated phenotype. Finally, since metabolism and epigenetic modifying enzymes are intrinsically linked by shared substrates, we are investigating the impact of altered glutamine metabolism on AML differentiation and proliferation.