Talk
PINK1 Deficiency Facilitates Mitochondrial Iron Accumulation and Colon Tumorigenesis

Bio
Dr. Xue received his Ph.D. in Toxicology and completed his postdoctoral training in Gastrointestinal Physiology. His research focuses on how metals and environmental toxicants drive inflammation and cancer. He has published more than 70 peer‑reviewed papers, secured continuous federal and foundation funding, and made influential contributions linking micronutrient biology to tumorigenesis. A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Xue teaches across undergraduate and medical programs and has guided trainees at multiple career stages. He provides national service through grant review for federal agencies and holds leadership roles in major scientific societies. His work has earned multiple honors, including the APS John F. Perkins, Jr. Research Career Enhancement Award and the UNM HSC Junior Faculty Research Award.

Talk
Epigenetics of KEAP1/NRF2 Signaling: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Implications

Bio
Prof. Federico Pio Fabrizio earned his Master’s degree in Medical Biotechnologies from the University of Brescia in 2015 and completed his PhD in Experimental and Regenerative Medicine in 2019 at the University of Foggia. From 2019 to 2023, he worked in the Laboratory of Oncology at the IRCCS Fondazione Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital. In 2024, he served as an RTDA researcher at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO), affiliated with the University of Milan, and in the same year obtained his specialization in Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Pathology at Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome. Since July 2024, he has held the position of Associate Professor of Molecular Biology at the Kore University of Enna. His research primarily focuses on uncovering molecular mechanisms, at genetic and epigenetic levels, and underlying lung cancer pathogenesis, with the aim of identifying novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets.Prof. Federico Pio Fabrizio earned his Master’s degree in Medical Biotechnologies from the University of Brescia in 2015 and completed his PhD in Experimental and Regenerative Medicine in 2019 at the University of Foggia. From 2019 to 2023, he worked in the Laboratory of Oncology at the IRCCS Fondazione Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital. In 2024, he served as an RTDA researcher at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO), affiliated with the University of Milan, and in the same year obtained his specialization in Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Pathology at Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome. Since July 2024, he has held the position of Associate Professor of Molecular Biology at the Kore University of Enna. His research primarily focuses on uncovering molecular mechanisms, at genetic and epigenetic levels, and underlying lung cancer pathogenesis, with the aim of identifying novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Talk
Protecting Healthy Organs While Treating Cancer: New Molecular Strategies to Improve Survivorship

Bio
Dr. Anis Ahmad is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and a Researcher at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of treatment-induced normal tissue toxicity caused by radiation, chemotherapy, and radioligand therapies. Dr. Ahmad’s work centers on lipid regulatory pathways, including ABCA1 and SMPDL3B, and their roles in protecting organs such as the kidney, salivary glands, and brain. His laboratory integrates genetically engineered mouse models, lipidomics, and translational pharmacologic approaches to develop strategies that mitigate toxicity while preserving anticancer efficacy. Dr. Ahmad is actively involved in cancer survivorship research, pediatric oncology-related toxicities, and precision oncology initiatives. He is also committed to mentoring trainees and advancing interdisciplinary research at the interface of radiobiology, lipid metabolism, and translational oncology.

Talk
Stabilizing Tumor Suppressors: Therapeutic Frontiers in Precision Medicine

Bio
Hiroaki Kiyokawa, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor of Pharmacology at Northwestern University in the United States. As a productive basic scientist with previous clinical experience, his long-term goal is to develop translational applications of fundamental research focused on posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination. During his early research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Kiyokawa generated novel p27(Cdkn1b)-knockout mice and uncovered multiple functions of this CDK inhibitor in development and oncogenesis. He later established his own laboratory in Chicago, which has elucidated diverse physiological and oncogenic roles of core cell cycle components, by characterizing genetically engineered mouse models, including Cdk4- and Cdc25a-knockout mice. His group’s work on ubiquitination enzymes such as UBE3A/E6AP, CHIP, Parkin, and UBA6 has identified numerous novel substrates and clarified how the ubiquitination network contributes to cancers and neurological disorders. Dr. Kiyokawa’s research has been supported by NIGMS, NCI, NICHD, DOD, American Cancer Society, and SFARI.