NYC Gazette

Yeshiva College students Aaron Shaykevich, Alexander Siegman, and Isaac Silverman from Dr. Radhashree Maitra’s laboratory on the Wilf Campus attended the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in San Diego from April 5-10, 2024. AACR is a leading professional association dedicated to cancer research with a membership exceeding 50,000. Its annual meeting attracts nearly 25,000 professionals globally.

This was the fifth consecutive year that Dr. Maitra’s laboratory has published abstracts at the AACR. This year, the students presented their research through four posters: "Targeting intermediates of the PRMT5/BRG1 axis as a combination therapy" and "Carbamazepine mediated SMARCA4 inhibition as a therapeutic target for KRAS-mutated CRC," presented by Shaykevich; "Erlotinib suppresses autophagy in colorectal cancer," presented by Siegman; and "Molecular dynamic simulations of RAS family protein interactions: Mutant KRAS binding with wildtype HRAS and NRAS," presented by Silverman.

“This was a fascinating opportunity to help contribute to the global scientific community in a common goal of fighting cancer,” said Shaykevich. “We had the opportunity to hear from top researchers in the field on current therapies they are researching. When we presented our work, we spoke with and answered questions from many scientists, and received a lot of valuable feedback.”

At YU, Dr. Maitra has two labs focusing on researching colorectal cancer with a mutation in the KRAS gene. In her wet lab, Shaykevich is researching oncolytic reovirus, funded by nearly $500,000 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Additionally, Siegman has been studying the effects of chemotherapy Erlotinib on colorectal cancer. In her dry lab, Silverman works on protein modeling related to KRAS interactions and pathways. Their research continues with two manuscripts currently under peer review.

The labs have consistently published research in peer-reviewed journals. Shaykevich and Silverman coauthored "BRG1: Promoter or Suppressor of Cancer? The Outcome of BRG1's Interaction with Specific Cellular Pathways" while all three students coauthored "Impact of carbamazepine on SMARCA4 (BRG1) expression in colorectal cancer: modulation by KRAS mutation status."

The students expressed gratitude towards their mentor Dr. Maitra for her dedication and support. “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to do research in colorectal cancer under Dr. Maitra,” said Silverman. “She has provided us with constant guidance and support throughout the process. Her encouragement to push boundaries and explore things further has been an inspiration.”

They also appreciated support from Dr. Selma Botman, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Karen Bacon, The Mordecai D. Katz and Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of The Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences as well as faculty members who facilitated this opportunity.