iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 21h

#MSKPostdoc Jonah Rosas (@jonahrosas.bsky.social), leader of the MSK-PDA Social Committee and a postdoc in the @mashaakhmanovalab.bsky.social Lab, studies how macrophages move through complex tissue environments, with the goal of developing new immune-based therapies for solid tumors. #NPAW2026

#BestPartOfScience: As a scientist, we get to operate at the boundary of the unknown. We get to formulate and tackle questions that no one else has thought to ask before. That sense of stepping into the frontier is exhilarating, and it's a privilege to get to do what we do. With it, we have a responsibility to be stewards of good science and effective communicators.

#BecomingAScientist: As a survivor of pediatric Hodgkin's Lymphoma, I have an intimate relationship with how scientific advances save lives. That singular life experience sparked my passion for cancer biology, and I hope my work influences how we think about therapeutic development.

#FunFact: As an extrovert, I love connecting with people across disciplines. Some of the best scientific ideas and collaborations start with a simple conversation over coffee.

Jonah Rosas, PhD
Akhmanova Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 21h

Meet #MSKPostdoc Laura Berneking from the Niec Lab who studies how infections can leave a lasting “memory” in 🩸 blood-forming stem cells, reshaping how the immune system responds to future infections and cancer. #NPAW2026

#BecomingAScientist: Science was part of my life from the very beginning. My mother studied biology while she was pregnant with me, and I spent much of my childhood in the botanical garden with her. Later, during school, I was mesmerized by the albino frogs in her laboratory. I honestly cannot remember ever imagining that I would become anything other than a scientist.

#CareerAdvice: Follow the questions that excite you, even if they lead beyond your original field. I started as bacteriologist and eventually found my way into immunology and cancer biology by pursuing curiosity wherever it led.

#FunFact: Outside the lab, I enjoy watercolor painting and traveling. I have visited around 80 countries, and both hobbies fuel the curiosity and creativity I bring to science.

Laura Berneking, MD PhD
Niec Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 21h

Meet #MSKPostdoc Marc Nater (@marcntr.bsky.social) from the @marasherman.bsky.social Lab. Marc studies how pancreatic cancer hijacks surrounding supporting cells to spread and resist treatment. #NPAW2026 🇨🇭

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#MSKPostdoc Bujamin "Ben" Vokshi (@vokshib.bsky.social), co-leader of the MSK PDA Parent Committee and a postdoc in the Massague Lab, studies how metastatic 🫁 adenocarcinoma develops resistance to targeted therapies and how to overcome it to make treatments last longer. #NPAW2026 🇫🇷🇦🇱

#BestPartOfScience: Turning curiosity into discovery and helping others understand why it matters. While I enjoy tackling complex questions in cancer biology, the most rewarding part is sharing knowledge and inspiring curiosity in others.

#BecomingAScientist: I came to cancer
research after losing family members to the disease more than 15 years ago. Seeing the progress made since then transformed grief into purpose, and at MSK, I have the opportunity to turn that purpose into discoveries that may ultimately benefit patients.

#FunFact: Outside the lab, I practice karate. It has taught me patience, humility, and the value of consistent effort, lessons that apply just as much to science as they do to martial arts.

Bujamin Vokshi, PhD
Massagué Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Meet #MSKPostdoc Lila Neahring from the Zallen Lab. Lila studies how epithelial tissues form during mammalian development, a process essential for building new organs and one that may also be co-opted during cancer metastasis. #NPAW2026 🇺🇸

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Meet #MSKPostdoc Ying Liang from the Shu Lab. Her research uses large-scale genomic and health data to identify inherited risk factors for breast cancer, particularly triple-negative disease, and transform these insights into better prevention. #NPAW2026 🇭🇰

#BestPartOfScience: The freedom to dig deep into unanswered questions. I study how inherited genetic variation influences breast cancer risk, helping uncover patterns that can improve our understanding of disease and human health.

#BecomingAScientist: After working in industry, I realized I was more interested in the questions than the projects themselves. That curiosity led me back to school for a PhD in epidemiology and biostatistics.

#CareerAdvice: Focus on questions more than methods. Tools will evolve, but the ability to ask meaningful questions and test important ideas is what sustains a successful scientific career.

#FunFact: Swimming and hiking are my time away from a screen.

Ying Liang, PhD
Shu Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Meet #MSKPostdoc Brendan Camellato from the @choijunhong.bsky.social Lab. Brendan is developing tools for “molecular recording”, giving cells the ability to capture the key events that shape both healthy development and the progression of diseases like cancer. #NPAW2026 🇨🇦

#BestPartOfScience: Constantly learning how the
world works and contributing, even in small ways,
to our shared understanding. Basic science may
not directly cure disease, but it lays the
foundation for every biomedical breakthrough.

#BecomingAScientist: I was fascinated by both how much we know about life at the cellular and molecular level and how much remains to be discovered. That curiosity led me to a career in science.

#CareerAdvice: Science is a creative pursuit.
Make time to step away from the bench and let
your mind wander. Some of the best ideas emerge
when you're not actively searching for them.

#FunFact: Playing drums helps me to think
creatively, and to think in the moment,
improvising when needed while always looking
a little bit ahead at what’s coming next.

Brendan Camellato, PhD
Choi Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Thank you, Dr. Margaret Goodell (@goodell-lab.bsky.social), for an outstanding keynote at the @MSKPDA #MSKPostdoc Research Symposium! Your insights on stem cells, the immune system, and epigenetics, along with your personal career journey, were truly inspiring. #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Closing the first session of the #MSKPostdoc Symposium: Yuxuan Han, a GMTEC Metastasis Fellow in the Walther lab. Yuxuan studies how lipids in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) help cancer cells progress and transition into a more aggressive state. #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Next up: #MSKPostdoc Wei Chen from the Walther lab. Wei studies how motor neurons, with their long axons and extensive connections, maintain specialized lipidome that support synaptic function over the lifetime of organisms.🧠 #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#MSKPostdoc Marton Kovacs, a Dr. Joan Eliasoph Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the @johnmaciejowski.bsky.social lab, studies how tumor cells modulate the immune system and whether targeting Polymerase Iota can help overcome resistance and enhance immunotherapy. #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Too much sugar? 🍬🍫 #MSKPostdoc Anna Knoerlein, a Kravis WISE Postdoctoral Fellow in the @yaeldavidmsk.bsky.social lab, discovered that reactive metabolic by-products can modify RNA and trigger cellular stress responses, revealing a new link between metabolism and disease. #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Next up: #MSKPostdoc Zhiying Zhang, a Starr Foundation BRIA Fellow in the Patel lab, where they discovered that bacteria sense a 🧬-derived danger signal and assemble an immune filament that drains the nucleotide supply the phage needs to replicate. #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Next up: #MSKPostdoc Sneha Mitra, a Postdoctoral Research Awardee in the Leslie Lab. Sneha works in the field of regulatory genomics. She develops and applies computational methods to study the role of immune cells in cancer. 💻 #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Next up: #MSKPostdoc Charles Ng, a @thetowfoundation.bsky.social Postdoctoral Fellow in the Thompson Lab. Charles studies how T cells power their fight against cancer, revealing how they burn fat in mitochondria for fuel and use creatine to recharge for tumor killing. ⚡️💪 #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Starting the #MSKPostdoc Research Symposium: Andrea Chaikovsky, a GMTEC Metastasis Fellow in the Lowe lab. Andrea studies how cell-cell interactions in pancreatic precancerous lesions drive cancer development & how they can be targeted for cancer interception. #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

📣 @mskcancercenter.bsky.social: Join us today at 2 PM for an afternoon of exceptional science at the #MSKPostdoc Research Symposium! Featuring eight outstanding postdoc presentations and a keynote address from Dr. Margaret Goodell (@goodell-lab.bsky.social). #NPAW2026 🔬✨

Postdoctoral Research SymposiumThursday, September 24, 20262:00-5:00 PM | RRL Auditorium
2:00 PM Postdoctoral Presentations
Andrea Chaikovsky, PhD
Lowe Lab/ Cancer Biology and
Genetics Program
Healing the wound: Targeting cancer-like niches in the premalignant pancreas for tumor interception
Charles Ng, MD, PhD
Thompson Lab/ Cancer Biology and Genetics Program
Metabolic rewiring of T cells to enhance antitumor immunity
Sneha Mitra, PhD
Leslie Lab/ Computational and Systems Biology Program
Characterizing transcriptional programs of BCMA CAR T cells
Anna Knoerlein, PhD
David Lab/ Chemical Biology Program
Non-enzymatic RNA modifications at the interface between metabolism and disease
Zhiying Zhang, PhD
Patel Lab/ Structural Biology Program
From modified nucleotides to immune catastrophe: Mechanisms of metabolic antiviral defense
Marton Kovacs, PhD
Maciejowski Lab/ Molecular Biology Program
Loss of Polymerase Iota (POLI) leads to spontaneous activation of the innate immune system
Wei Chen, PhD
Walther Lab/ Cell Biology Program
Lipid flow and failure: Mechanisms of synaptic dysfunction in hereditary spastic paraplegia
Yuxuan Han, PhD
Walther Lab/ Cell Biology Program
Determining the function of glycosphingolipids in ccRCC progression
4:00 PM Keynote Seminar
Margaret (Peggy) A. Goodell, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Director, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center
Thomas C. Thompson Chair in Cell Biology
Baylor College of Medicine
Down the Rabbit Hole: A Wonderland of Stem Cells, the Immune Response, and Epigenetics

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Meet #MSKPostdoc Vilma Jallinoja from the Pillarsetty Lab. Vilma develops next-generation radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive biologically active compounds) ☢️ that help physicians see cancer more clearly and treat it more precisely. #NPAW2026 🇫🇮

#BestPartOfScience: Getting to be a detective and figuring out how the world, some molecule or some signaling pathway works and all of that potentially having a real-life impact on patients' lives.

#CareerAdvice: Take it one day at a time. Sometimes science moves very slowly but it’s good to take a moment regularly to look back at all of your accomplishments and acknowledge where you started and how far you have come.

#FunFact: Being a mother of two little girls has really forced me to become an expert in time management and organizing skills. That has also helped me to be more efficient with my time in the lab.

Vilma Jallinoja, PhD
Pillarsetty Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our #MSKPostdoc Seungjae Lee from the @lucksmith.bsky.social Lab on receiving this prestigious award and well-deserved recognition! 👏 blavatnikawards.org/news/items/b... #NPAW2026

blavatnikawards.org

Blavatnik Regional Awards for Young Scientists Announce 2026 Honorees | Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Meet #MSKPostdoc Cory Haluska from the @zhaolabski.bsky.social. When DNA repair creates tangled 🧬genetic structures, Cory investigates how cells safely untangle them to preserve genome stability and prevent harmful chromosomal rearrangements. #NPAW2026

#BecomingAScientist: I never planned on becoming a scientist. I was a curious kid who enjoyed learning and asking questions. As the first in my family to attend college, graduate school, and earn a PhD, I followed my interests rather than a predefined path. Over time, that curiosity led me to science, and it remains my greatest motivation today.

#CareerAdvice: Give yourself permission not to have everything figured out. A postdoc is a time of growth and discovery, not just in science but in your career. You don't need a perfect plan. Stay open to unexpected opportunities, learn from setbacks, and let the journey shape your path.

#FunFact: Outside the lab, I enjoy photography. The patience, observation, and different perspectives it encourages have made me a more curious scientist and a better problem solver.

Cory Haluska, PhD
Zhao Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Meet #MSKPostdoc Pu Zhang, NCI K99/R00 awardee, in the @oawlab.bsky.social. Pu studies how abnormal RNA processing helps🩸cancers hide from the immune system & how we can turn those same RNA changes into 🎯 for new, more precise T-cell therapies. #NPAW2026 🇨🇳

#BecomingAScientist : Driven by a desire to improve cancer treatment, I am fascinated by the immune system’s remarkable intelligence. Science allows me to follow that curiosity, uncover why biological processes work the way they do, and imagine solutions that do not yet exist.

#CareerAdvice: “You can lose a hundred times- you only need to win the last one.” Science is
much the same. Experiments fail, papers are rejected, and setbacks are inevitable. Stay persistent, stay resilient, and never lose sight of why you started. In the end, what matters is not how many times you fall short, but whether you keep going long enough to make the discovery
that matters.

#FunFact: I enjoy painting in my spare time. Exploring color, space, and shape often inspires new ways to design experiments and visualize data.

Pu Zhang, PhD
Abdel-Wahab Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

As part of our National Postdoc Appreciation Week tradition, we are celebrating our remarkable #MSKPostdocs with social cards! 🎉🙌 Stay tuned over the next two weeks to meet the outstanding scientists driving innovation at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social 💡🧬🥼👩‍🔬👨‍🔬 #NPAW2026

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our 10 MSK Postdoc Slam finalists! 👏 You were all fantastic and it was truly inspiring to learn about the incredible and diverse work happening at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social. Our #MSKPostdocs gave the judges a real challenge… choosing winners was no easy task! 🤗

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Shout out to our #NPAW2026 #MSKPostdocs 📸 contest champs! 🎉 🥇 Elio Issa – Tabar lab, mentored by Dr. Bou Nassif 🥈 Dinesh Kumar – @kentsisresearch.bsky.social lab 🥉 Cory Haluska – @zhaolabski.bsky.social

NPAW 2026 postdoc photo contest winners
Are you alone when music keeps you company? Elio Issa (Tabar Lab)
Capturing the quiet dialog between classic architecture and still water. Dinesh Kumar (Kentsis Lab)
The bridge between day and night. Cory Haluska (Zhao Lab)

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

While our judges deliberate on the top three winners of the MSK Postdoc Slam, take a moment to enjoy the incredible artwork created by our talented #MSKPostdocs. It's inspiring to see their creativity shine both in and beyond the lab. ✨ 📷 #NPAW2026

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Closing out the MSK Postdoc Slam is Ioannis Ntekas ( @ntekasi.bsky.social ) from the Xavier Lab. Yannis maps the hidden world of the gut microbiome 🦠, uncovering how microbes interact with our bodies in health and disease and how these relationships can be steered toward better health.

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Ioannis Ntekas, PhD
Xavier Lab/ Computational and Systems Biology
A map for the microbiome

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Cancer cells with a broken BRCA2 survive by leaning on a backup repair system: the 9-1-1 complex. Helen Grimsley ( @helengrimsley.bsky.social ) from the Powell lab says - "cut that lifeline, and we may be able to make resistant tumors vulnerable again" 🧬📞

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Helen Grimsley, PhD
Powell Lab/ Radiation Oncology; Molecular Biology
Destroy cancer's final lifeline

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Carlin Liao from the Nadeem Lab asks a critical question: why do some people with intestinal metaplasia develop cancer while most do not? Discover how this common precancerous condition could become a powerful tool for early detection and screening.

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Carlin Liao, PhD
Nadeem Lab/ Medical Physics
Stomaching risk

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Next up is Marc Hilmi from the Iacobuzio-Donahue lab at MSK's Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research. His research explores what drives exceptional responses to #immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer and how the tumor microenvironment may shape long-term patient outcomes.

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Marc Hilmi, MD, PhD
Iacobuzio-Donahue Lab/ Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research
The super-killers locked out by fibroblasts

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Up next is Yao Yu from the @fungalspore.bsky.social lab, studying how the 🧠 fights Aspergillus, a common airborne 🍄 that can cause life-threatening infections in people with cancer, and how these immune defenses can be harnessed to better protect vulnerable patients.

Postdoc Salm
September 16, 2026
Yao Yu, MD, PhD
Hohl Lab/ Immuno-Oncology
CNS Aspergillosis: A hidden complication in cancer immunotherapy

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Elio Issa, mentored by Dr. Bou Nassif, is using AI to model the unique trajectory of each meningioma, improving predictions of tumor progression and enabling more personalized follow-up care 🧠

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Elio Issa, MD
Tabar Lab/ Neurosurgery
One for all, none for one: Predicting tumor follow-up

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Zoe Louise Walts from Dr. Jessica Scott's Exercise Oncology Services studies exercise like any other treatment. Using clinical trials to understand how exercise therapies can support patients throughout the cancer journey, Zoe transforms research data into clinical action 🏃

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Zoe Louise Walt, PhD
Scott Lab/ Exercise Oncology Services
The surprising importance of exercise in cancer care

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Up next is Charles Ng from the Thompson Lab. Charles studies how to power up T cells and transform them into more effective cancer fighters ⚡💪

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Charles Ng, MD, PhD
Thompson Lab/ Cancer Biology and Genetics
Getting T cells fit to fight cancer

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Up next is Elena Lin ( @elnlnx.bsky.social) from the @diehllab-mskcc.bsky.social. Elena studies microbiota-immune interactions and how disruptions in these relationships can drive intestinal disease 🦠

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Elena Lin, PhD
Diehl Lab/ Immunology
All aboard the G(ut) train: How our microbes and immune system work together to keep us healthy

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

🎤 It’s SHOW TIME! Leading off the MSK Postdoc Slam is Marton Kovacs from the @johnmaciejowski.bsky.social lab. 🔥 "Some like it hot." Their lab does, too. Marton's research focuses on turning cold tumors hot by overcoming resistance mechanisms that limit #immunotherapy responses.

Postdoc Slam
September 16, 2026
Marton Kovacs, PhD
Maciejowski Lab/ Molecular Biology
Some like it HOT: Turning immunologically cold tumors hot

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The MSK Postdoc Slam & the 20th Anniversary of the Zuckerman Research Center celebration start in 20 min & we can’t hide our excitement! 😃 While we wait, let’s reflect on: 🔬 20 years of discovery 💡 20 years of innovation 🎗️ 20 years of advancing the future of cancer research

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

🎉 The MSK Postdoc Slam is extra special this year as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Zuckerman Research Center! @mskcancercenter.bsky.social, join us today at 4 PM for a showcase of postdoc research, creativity, and discovery. Let’s celebrate science and 20 years of impact together! 🎤✨

2026 MSK Postdoc Slam & 20th Anniversary
Celebration of the Zuckerman Research Center
Wednesday, September 16 | 4:00 p.m. | ZRC Auditorium
4:20 p.m. Presentations:
Marton Kovacs, PhD
Maciejowski Lab/ Molecular Biology
Some like it HOT: Turning immunologically cold tumors hot
Elena Lin, PhD
Diehl Lab/ Immunology
All aboard the G(ut) train: How our microbes and immune
system work together to keep us healthy
Charles Ng, MD, PhD
Thompson Lab/ Cancer Biology and Genetics
Getting T cells fit to fight cancer
Zoe Louise Walt, PhD
Scott Lab/ Exercise Oncology Services
The surprising importance of exercise in cancer care
Elio Issa, MD
Tabar Lab/ Neurosurgery
One for all, none for one: Predicting tumor follow-up
Yao Yu, MD, PhD
Hohl Lab/ Immuno-Oncology
CNS Aspergillosis: A hidden complication in cancer
immunotherapy
Marc Hilmi, MD, PhD
Iacobuzio-Donahue Lab/ Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research
The super-killers locked out by fibroblasts
Carlin Liao, PhD
Nadeem Lab/ Medical Physics
Stomaching risk
Helen Grimsley, PhD
Powell Lab/ Radiation Oncology; Molecular Biology
Destroy cancer's final lifeline
Ioannis Ntekas, PhD
Xavier Lab/ Computational and Systems Biology
A map for the microbiome

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

🎉 Today we welcome the 2026 cohort of #Postbac MSK Bridge Scholars! We are thrilled to have them join us for the next 2 years of #biomedical #research training and educational support. Help us give a warm welcome to our #MSKBridge Scholars! 🙌

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Thank you Dr. Mónica I. Feliú-Mójer for joining us last week and sharing how you bridge science, culture, and identity through impactful public engagement, making science more inclusive and accessible through language and community connection.

Photo of the audience at the talk of Dr. Feliu-Mojer

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Please join us in welcoming our 2026 summer interns across CBSP (#CompBio), ChBSP (#ChemBio), EISP (#Engineering #Imaging), MBSP (#MechanisticBiology), IRSP (#Immunology), & #MSKEngage programs. We are excited to welcome this year’s cohort!

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Huge congratulations to our very own OSET lead, @lewislabmskcc.bsky.social, on receiving this prestigious and well-deserved recognition!

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Calling NYC undergrads who are passionate about #biomedical sciences & are looking for #research opportunity to help them become strong PhD candidates. Applications for #MSKEngage are now open! Deadline: Feb 2, 2026 For more information visit us: www.mskcc.org/engage

MSK Engage Program for NYC College Students
Define your path to a PhD with MSK Engage, a two year program designed for NYC college students.
MSK Engage is sponsored by the Gray Foundation.

MSK Engage provides:
• Research experience – immersion in biomedical research in cutting edge laboratories at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) for up to 26 months.
• Community – Scholars will receive guided mentoring by faculty, graduate students and postdocs with social activities to foster community.
• Educational training – participation in professional development workshops and skills building classes, as well as research seminars. During their gap year students will participate in a Cancer Core class.
• Professional guidance – individualized career guidance and assistance with the graduate school application process.
• Benefits – competitive stipend at all phases of the program; plus, health benefi ts (during gap year).Program Dates and Benefits February 2, 2026: Deadline to apply. June 1, 2026 – August 7, 2026: Scholars begin a 10-week summer internship in MSK labs. During the first week they will participate in a bootcamp in lab basics and will be immersed in professional development activities with other summer interns. (Stipend $6,500). September 2026– June 2027: Scholars remain in the same lab where they performed their summer research as part-time interns (up to 12 hours per week/ max $7,500). July 2027 – June 2028: Scholars who meet the eligibility criteria will transition into a full gap year in the same lab and will join the MSK’s Bridge Postbac program. (Stipend $50,000 plus health benefits.)How to Apply MSK seeks current NYC college juniors pursuing a biomedically relevant Bachelor’s and interested in attaining a PhD. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents. Students from historically underrepresented and underserved groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
Learn More
For more information and to apply, visit:
www.mskcc.org/engage.
For additional questions, email
oset@mskcc.org

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Reposted by MSKEducation

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center @mskcancercenter.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

We're excited to share that Dr. Omar Abdel-Wahab, a leukemia specialist at MSK, has been elected to the @nam.edu. With Dr. Abdel-Wahab’s appointment, a total of 28 MSK faculty members have been conferred with this recognition. Congratulations, Dr. Abdel-Wahab! bit.ly/49ezKw0

bit.ly

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Physician-Scientist Elected to the Prestigious National Academy of Medicine

Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, Chair of the Molecular Pharmacology Program at Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI); Evnin Family Chair in Molecular Pharmacology and Attending Physician on the Leukemia Service at Me...

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

To all #MSKPostdocs - THANK YOU! Your contributions are vital to the @mskcancercenter.bsky.social research community. We are proud to celebrate you during #NPAW2025 and every day of the year! 👏🧪💙

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2025

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Meet #MSKPostdoc Xiao Huang (@drxiaohuang.bsky.social) from the Rudensky Lab! Xiao investigates how different subsets of regulatory T (Treg) cells adapt to tissues and immune challenges to maintain immune balance in health and disease. #NPAW2025 🇨🇳

#BestPartOfScience: Learning to live with questions and walk beside uncertainty. Keep climbing toward understanding with others who are committed to the same journey, knowing that each peak is simply a place to begin again.
#BecomingASceintist: Seeing loved ones face illness made me curious about how the body defends itself. I was drawn to the immune system for its complexity, and for what it reveals about resilience, timing, and care.
#FunFuct: I spend time with my plants, watching small shifts, from a new leaf to how light shapes growth over time. They have taught me to notice patterns and respect the kind of timing that can't be forced. I also play video games, where the pace is faster, and failure is part of the process. You fall, rethink, and try again. Along the way, you meet teammates who challenge and support you. In science, I carry both rhythms with me.

Xiao Huang, PhS
Rudensky Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2025

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Meet #MSKPostdoc Agnieszka Chryplewicz (@aga-chryplewicz.bsky.social) from the @sawyerslabmskcc.bsky.social! She studies how tumor-derived factors in prostate cancer shape immune responses to promote tumor growth and limit treatment success. #NPAW2025 🇵🇱

#KnowAboutMyScience: Tumors are complex ecosystems - not just cancer cells, but networks of interacting cell types. I study these relationships to uncover how cancer hijacks biology and help develop better therapies.
#CareerAdvice: Challenge yourself by changing environments- new institutions, cities, or countries. It's one of the best ways to grow as a scientist.
#BecomingAScientist: I once dreamed of being an investigative journalist. Now I chase mysteries at the cellular level, just as fascinating, only under a microscope.
#FunFuct: From sports to theater, my childhood was packed with activities. Each taught me something different, but together they shaped my creativity, discipline, and persistence- qualities I catty into science.

Agnieszka Chryplewicz, PhD
Sawyers Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2025

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Meet #MSKPostdoc Jin Gyu Cheong from the Niec Lab! He studies how blood stem cells “remember” inflammation - shaping future immune responses and fueling diseases like Crohn’s. He’s also exploring links to colitis from cancer immunotherapy. #NPAW2025🇰🇷

#KnowAboutMyScience: Blood stem cells can “remember” past infections and inflammation, leaving behind molecular marks that shape future immune responses and even contribute to disease. My current research is focused on tissue side.

#BecomingAScientist: I have always been fascinated by how inflammatory diseases are triggered so differently in people by things like diet, stress, sleep, exercise, or aging. This
variability in the immune system and how it
shapes disease drew me to science. I started with immunology, then added epigenetics, and now study epithelial tissues like the skin and gut where inflammation often shows itself most clearly.

#FunFact: I love capturing smiles through photography. I enjoy how different colors and light create unique feelings, and that creative perspective helps me think about how to present science.

Jin Gyu Cheong, PhD
Niec Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2025

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Meet #MSKPostdoc Anju Sharma in the @johnpetrini.bsky.social Lab! She studies how innate immune signaling preserves genomic stability during DNA damage & replication stress. #NPAW2025🇳🇵

#BecomingAScientist: It began with a simple question to my primary school teacher: “How does one part of our body communicate with another without speaking?” I have always been fascinated by how cells communicated. It's astonishing how these tiny molecular conversations ultimately shape who we are. To pursue these questions systematically, I have chosen a career in scientific research, where I can investigate the mechanisms underlying these complex biological processes.

#CareerAdvice: Most of the time, research is about how you handle your failure, which occurs far more often than success. Stay persistent and take breaks when needed.

#FunFact: Crocheting reminds me of science: even when things seem disjointed, they can come together beautifully in the end.

Anju Sharma, PhD
Petrini Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2025

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Meet #MSKPostdoc Kacper Walentynowicz (@kacperwphd.bsky.social) in the Parada Lab! He studies how brain tumors interact with the immune system, using cutting-edge tech to harness immune cells like macrophages for innovative cancer therapies 🧠🧬💥 #NPAW2025🇵🇱

#BestPartOfScience: Knowing my work could help transform how we treat cancer patients.

#BecomingAScientist: I have always loved analyzing things - from watching plants grow to exploring how our bodies work. Inspired by scientists in movies, I knew I wanted to be one.

#CareerAdvice: Focus on what you love but stay open to new opportunities and big picture.

#FunFact: Baking is my creative outlet, and it is all about strictly following the protocol! Whether it is chocolate fudge cake or Bavarian Prinzregententorte, sticking to the recipe is key to a perfect bake!

Kacper Walentynowicz, PhD
Parada Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2025

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MSKEducation @mskeducation.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Meet #MSKPostdoc Megan E. Kelley (@meganekelley.bsky.social) in the @agnelsfeir.bsky.social Lab, where she studies error-prone DNA 🧬 damage repair in the context of cancer and drug resistance. 👏 Congrats to Megan on receiving both the NCI F32 and MSK Society Scholar awards! #NPAW2025

#BecomingAScientist: Being a scientist is one of the most exciting and engaging careers that exists. It demands the work of a community of researchers to make meaningful progress and thrives on a diversity of backgrounds and experiences to solve some of the world's most complex and interesting problems. The opportunity to join this global community and contribute to our shared mission of understanding our world and benefiting humanity is a gift.

#CareerAdvice: Own your missteps and keep moving forward. Set reasonable expectations for yourself and give yourself grace when you need it. And we work better together, so accept help when you can.

Megan E. Kelley, PhD
Sfeir Lab

National Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 2025

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