Sydney M. Shaffer, MD, PhD

Normal tissues naturally weed out harmful cells to prevent cancer. But when cancer develops, this defense system breaks down, allowing the cancer to attack healthy cells for its own growth. The Shaffer lab is set to explore this process, called cell competition, in esophageal cancer. By employing precise tracking and advanced spatial analysis, Dr. Shaffer [Bakewell Foundation Innovator] aims to reveal how cell competition contributes to cancer development and how it might be harnessed to prevent it. The goal of her research is to pioneer early intervention therapies to halt cancer in its tracks.