Rushika M. Perera, PhD

Cancer cells have a unique ability to rapidly and efficiently remodel their internal composition and metabolic pathways in order to maintain accelerated growth, metastasize and resist anti-cancer therapies. The lysosome, an organelle in the cell that degrades cellular debris, has the ability to control a cancer cell's adaptability. Through processing and recycling different macromolecules, the lysosome serves as an important source of fuel for cancer cell growth and spare parts for remodeling the cell. Dr. Perera is focusing on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which is highly dependent on lysosomes for growth. She has characterized cancer-specific lysosomal proteins and showed that these proteins confer PDAC cells with two key properties: the ability to rapidly repair their membranes in the face of sustained mechanical and chemical insults, in order to maximize nutrient uptake, and to alter their cell membrane composition to evade recognition by the host immune system. Collectively, these results suggest largely unexplored roles for the lysosome in PDAC and highlight novel vulnerabilities that could be exploited therapeutically.