St. Jude on Biology in Space & Time: 5 Discoveries to Explore

Hi, I’m Dr. Stacey Ogden from the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and here are 5 Discoveries to Explore about Biology in Space and Time.

Discovery 1

To unravel the complexity of disease biology St. Jude scientists are working with the Center for Spatial Omics, led by Dr. Jasmine Plummer, to study disease states at a single-cell level to better understand the impact of spatial context on biology and disease.

Find out more: Spatial omics takes off.

Discovery 2

Biomolecular condensates are membraneless compartments that cells use to temporarily organize proteins and DNA. At St. Jude Dr. Tanja Mittag is studying how amino acids in proteins influence condensate formation, knowledge that is vital to visualizing the role of condensates in cells.  

Find out more: Condensates: It’s not just a phase.

Discovery 3

One-third of all FDA approved drugs target G-protein-coupled-receptors, or GPCRs, which are signaling molecules on the surface of cells. Drs. Madan Babu and Scott Blanchard are uncovering how the structure, movement and interactions of GPCRs affect their function by combining a single-molecule perspective with data-driven approaches.

Find out more: Illuminating the dynamic landscape of G-protein-coupled receptors.

Discovery 4

When does cancer start? At St. Jude, Dr. Paul Northcott has traced the cellular origins of Group 3 and Group 4 medulloblastoma and Dr. Michael Dyer has shed light on the early development of retinoblastoma because understanding the source of these diseases may lead to new treatments for them.

Find out more: St. Jude scientists answer the question ‘when does cancer start?’

Discovery 5

Once cancer starts to spread or metastasize the disease becomes harder to treat. At St. Jude Dr. Myriam Labelle is studying the relationship between metastatic cells and their microenvironment to shed light on what factors cancer cells need to form a metastatic site.

Find out more: Tracing the threads of metastasis to achieve better treatment outcomes.