SURF Mentoring

Potential projects/topics: This project explores how changes in the internal structure of Ewing sarcoma cells, a childhood bone cancer, help drive aggressive behavior and resistance to treatment. Cells rely on an internal “skeleton” to maintain their shape, move, and respond to their environment, and cancer cells often reorganize this structure in ways that promote disease progression. In this project, the student will help grow Ewing sarcoma cells in a 3D, bone-like environment and use advanced single-cell tools to measure how key structural proteins are organized inside individual cancer cells. By comparing different cancer cell states and testing how specific signaling pathways affect cell structure, this work aims to reveal how physical changes inside cancer cells contribute to cancer behavior and identify new vulnerabilities that could be targeted in future therapies.

Potential skills gained: Mammalian cell culture and basic laboratory techniques ; 3D cell culture in biomaterial-based, bone-like environments ; Fluorescence microscopy and visualization of cellular structures ; Single-cell–level measurement and quantitative analysis of protein organization ; Experimental design, controls, and data interpretation ; Scientific communication through short reports and presentations

Required qualifications: No required skills or courses but an interest in cancer bioengineering is beneficial

Direct mentor: Post-doctorate