Area of research
Molecular Biology · Cancer Research
Research interest
The Blenis lab studies biochemical mechanisms that coordinate extracellular cues, intracellular signaling pathways, and metabolic processes to regulate cellular bioenergetics and redox regulation, mRNA metabolism, protein synthesis and gene expression. The lab has helped to define major signaling pathways, including Ras/ERK/RSK and PI3K/Akt and has performed extensive analyses of mTOR, a checkpoint kinase that deftly integrates signals emanating from growth factors and environmental conditions to guide cellular decisions. These studies have supported the identification of cancer-associated biomarkers and therapeutic targets including several kinases and metabolic enzymes.
Direct sensing of dietary ω-6 linoleic acid through FABP5-mTORC1 signaling
The emerging role of dysregulated propionate metabolism and methylmalonic acid in metabolic disease, aging, and cancer
The intrinsic substrate specificity of the human tyrosine kinome
Nutrient control of growth and metabolism through mTORC1 regulation of mRNA splicing
An atlas of substrate specificities for the human serine/threonine kinome
Balancing lysosome abundance in health and disease
FAM120A couples SREBP-dependent transcription and splicing of lipogenesis enzymes downstream of mTORC1
Altered propionate metabolism contributes to tumour progression and aggressiveness
Host protein kinases required for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphorylation and viral replication
Tumor-produced and aging-associated oncometabolite methylmalonic acid promotes cancer-associated fibroblast activation to drive metastatic progression
Suppression of nuclear GSK3 signaling promotes serine/one-carbon metabolism and confers metabolic vulnerability in lung cancer cells
Metabolite activation of tumorigenic signaling pathways in the tumor microenvironment
Prolonged deprivation of arginine or leucine induces PI3K/Akt-dependent reactivation of mTORC1
Targeting mTOR in the Context of Diet and Whole-body Metabolism
mTORC1 promotes cell growth via m6A-dependent mRNA degradation
mTORC1-chaperonin CCT signaling regulates m <sup>6</sup> A RNA methylation to suppress autophagy
Age-induced accumulation of methylmalonic acid promotes tumour progression
Rap1-GTPases control mTORC1 activity by coordinating lysosome organization with amino acid availability
Dynamic Incorporation of Histone H3 Variants into Chromatin Is Essential for Acquisition of Aggressive Traits and Metastatic Colonization
ERK2 regulates epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity through DOCK10-dependent Rac1/FoxO1 activation
p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) phosphorylates myosin phosphatase and thereby controls edge dynamics during cell migration
Identification of distinct nanoparticles and subsets of extracellular vesicles by asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation
Unique Metabolic Adaptations Dictate Distal Organ-Specific Metastatic Colonization
mTORC1 Promotes Metabolic Reprogramming by the Suppression of GSK3-Dependent Foxk1 Phosphorylation
Beyond the Warburg Effect: How Do Cancer Cells Regulate One-Carbon Metabolism?
Mitochondrial One-Carbon Pathway Supports Cytosolic Folate Integrity in Cancer Cells
Female Sex and Gender in Lung/Sleep Health and Disease: Increased Understanding of Basic Biological, Pathophysiological, and Behavioral Mechanisms Leading to Better Health for Female Patients with Lung Disease
<i>EIF1AX</i> and <i>RAS</i> Mutations Cooperate to Drive Thyroid Tumorigenesis through ATF4 and c-MYC
Post-transcriptional Regulation of De Novo Lipogenesis by mTORC1-S6K1-SRPK2 Signaling
TOR, the Gateway to Cellular Metabolism, Cell Growth, and Disease