March 2021 Newsletter
The Department's monthly newsletter, bringing you the latest news and updates for the month! Make sure to wear your mask, wash your hands and keep your distance!
FEATURED STORIES
Dr. Sosa Awarded the 2021 Breast Cancer Alliance Young Investigator Grant!
Pre-malignant breast cells are able to disseminate to target organs and, after an extended dormancy phase, they reawaken and are the main contributors to metastases in a HER2-positive breast cancer mouse model. We believe that reactivation of early disseminated cancer cells (DCCs) at target organs requires interactions with late arriving DCCs derived from primary tumors. Understanding the mechanisms behind these interactions will provide a frame work to design targeted therapies.
Mariana Lemos Duarte from the Devi Lab Published in Communications Biology!
Antibodies represent powerful tools to explore signal transduction pathways. Using an integrated approach that combines a novel strategy of antibody development, a time- and cost-effective method of antibody validation, and a high-throughput microscopy/machine learning pipeline for antibody characterization we describe high affinity antibodies to 137 synaptic proteins including opioid receptors. We used the antibodies to study signaling by opiates that have played central roles in the worsening of the ‘opioid epidemic’ and report that morphine and fentanyl show differences in the posttranslational modification of the receptor relevant to desensitization/tolerance. These antibodies represent hitherto unavailable reagents to explore central nervous system disorders.
Welcome to Prof. Mone Zaidi and his Research Team!
Mone Zaidi, MD, PhD, Professor of Pharmacological Sciences, Medicine, and Geriatrics, and Director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program, and his entire research team have officially joined our Department.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Zaidi and his colleagues to our Department, and wishing them continued success in research discovery and training of next-generation scientists and
physician scientists.
Pharmacology and Therapeutics Discovery Creates New Program Video!
Research in Pharmacology and Therapeutic Discovery (PTD) major training area (MTA) covers all aspects of the drug discovery process from describing mechanisms of disease, identification of targets for therapeutics, all the way to developing clinically relevant lead compounds. PTD MTA serves as the “hub” for drug discovery at Mount Sinai.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Works-in-Progress Presentations
March 11th, 2021 at 11AM

Minji Jeon - Jin Lab
"Predicting Targets for 17 Types of Pain
with Machine Learning"


Emily Teichman - Ma'ayan & Han Lab
"Structure-Based Drug Design of a HCN2 Channel-Selective Inhibitor with Antidepressant Activity"

March 25th, 2021 at 11AM

Mariana Lemos Duarte - Devi Lab
"Fine Tuning of Opioid Receptor Signaling"


Megan Wojciechowicz - Ma'ayan Lab
"Making the LINCS L1000 Data Look Like RNA-seq with Deep Learning"


REMINDERS
Administrative Support

All administrative requests may be sent to DPS@mssm.edu.