Latest News
Learn about what we have been working on, find out what we are interested in, and see our accomplishments!
Beyond my undergraduate coursework, research has been the most educational and rewarding experience I have participated in. The Blackburn Laboratory fostered the supportive environment I needed to reach my goals, and allowed me to take my education to the next level. I have been able to work with two different animal models, learn multiple molecular…
I was very fortunate to be invited to give a podium presentation for the Experimental Therapeutics session at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting ASH 2024 in San Diego, CA. The ASH Annual Meeting is one of the largest and most renowned hematology conferences globally, bringing together over 35,000 attendees. Out of more than…
I arrived at the lab just ten months ago as a visiting scholar, and during this time, I have learned so much. My research focuses on injecting cancer cells into zebrafish larvae to study tumor progression and test potential treatments, contributing to a better understanding of cancer biology. I’m excited to now transition into a…
In T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), a rare but aggressive childhood cancer, some leukemia cells—called leukemia stem cells (LSCs)—can evade chemotherapy and cause relapse. Majd’s review explores an exciting new approach: targeting mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, to eliminate these stubborn LSCs. With mitochondrial-targeting drugs (mitocans) already in early clinical trials, unlocking their potential could…
Magnesium is essential for many cellular functions, and its balance is tightly controlled to prevent disease. Trace’s review highlights an emerging network of proteins—PRL, ARL, CNNM, and TRPM (collectively termed PACT)—that work together to regulate magnesium levels. By understanding how these proteins interact, we can uncover new strategies for treating diseases linked to magnesium imbalance,…
Majd and Yelena’s study explores how some leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) become dormant, allowing them to evade chemotherapy and cause relapse. Using zebrafish models, they optimized a method to label and track these slow-dividing, treatment-resistant cells with fluorescent dyes. Filming the video protocol for this method for JoVE was…