Kirsten L. Bryant, PhD
A cancer biologist whose laboratory work on how KRAS reprograms metabolism has already reached patients — two of her findings launched first-in-human clinical trials.
Overview
Dr. Kirsten L. Bryant is a cancer biologist at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her laboratory investigates how the KRAS oncogene drives metabolic reprogramming and autophagy to sustain pancreatic cancer growth. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Channing Der’s lab at UNC, where she defined key KRAS-regulated metabolic vulnerabilities in PDAC.
Research program
Three threads: the mechanisms by which oncogenic KRAS alters metabolic flux to fuel progression; how KRAS and downstream ERK/MAPK signalling modulate autophagy, and how autophagy in turn supports tumor survival; and combination strategies that pair ERK or MEK inhibitors with autophagy inhibition.
From bench to trial
Findings from her group helped launch first-in-human studies of combined pathway and autophagy blockade — a Phase I trial of the MEK inhibitor binimetinib with hydroxychloroquine, and a Phase II trial of the ERK inhibitor LY3214996 with hydroxychloroquine. Ongoing work seeks more selective autophagy inhibitors through CRISPR loss-of-function screens.
This committee member has also received Sky seed funding — recused, of course, from any discussion of their own proposal.
See their research profile →Nine physicians, researchers and staff who decide what Sky funds.
Back to the SAC →Kirsten L. Bryant, PhD
A cancer biologist whose laboratory work on how KRAS reprograms metabolism has already reached patients — two of her findings launched first-in-human clinical trials.
Overview
Dr. Kirsten L. Bryant is a cancer biologist at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her laboratory investigates how the KRAS oncogene drives metabolic reprogramming and autophagy to sustain pancreatic cancer growth. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Channing Der’s lab at UNC, where she defined key KRAS-regulated metabolic vulnerabilities in PDAC.
Research program
Three threads: the mechanisms by which oncogenic KRAS alters metabolic flux to fuel progression; how KRAS and downstream ERK/MAPK signalling modulate autophagy, and how autophagy in turn supports tumor survival; and combination strategies that pair ERK or MEK inhibitors with autophagy inhibition.
From bench to trial
Findings from her group helped launch first-in-human studies of combined pathway and autophagy blockade — a Phase I trial of the MEK inhibitor binimetinib with hydroxychloroquine, and a Phase II trial of the ERK inhibitor LY3214996 with hydroxychloroquine. Ongoing work seeks more selective autophagy inhibitors through CRISPR loss-of-function screens.
This committee member has also received Sky seed funding — recused, of course, from any discussion of their own proposal.
See their research profile →Nine physicians, researchers and staff who decide what Sky funds.
Back to the SAC →