Nicole Solimini, PhD

Grateful for the opportunity to present at #FORTRESS2026 on behalf of the David Liposarcoma Research Initiative. It was a privilege to share our work and learn from outstanding sarcoma investigators. I came home energized and excited to bring insights back to strengthen our efforts for patients.

What science says about how weight-loss drugs affect cancer risk Evidence is mounting that GLP-1 drugs may play a role in reducing cancer risk and deaths from certain cancers.

“This rare cancer, liposarcoma, gives us a unique opportunity to study what GLP-1 drugs do to cancer cells,” @danafarbernews.bsky.social’s Dr. Erica Pimenta tells @washingtonpost.com about her research into whether the weight-loss medications could be a treatment pathway.

➡️ bit.ly/4k08KUr

Dana-Farber Cancer Insitution research in Science Translational Medicine

Could GLP-1 medications be a treatment pathway for some cancers? Novel research in Science Translational Medicine by @danafarbernews.bsky.social’s Erica Pimenta, MD, PhD, and Eli Van Allen, MD, uncovers promising targets that may lead to new targeted therapies for liposarcoma.

➡️ bit.ly/3LQfaJd

Scientist at lectern with slide reading "Q&A"

Conclusion slide: • Intact IGF1/PPARG2 in WDLPS • PPARG2 restores differentiation in DDLPS GLP1 signaling is the dominant, druggable epigenetic program in DDLPS Induces increased expression of adipose markers Identifying chromatin modifiers at the PPARG2 TSS Fully characterizing GLP1-induced differentiation and other cellular processes modified through this axis

Exciting end to #CTOS2025 with final presentation from Erica Pimenta. Could PPARγ-2 or GLP1 agonists restore differentiation in dedifferentiated liposarcoma?

Executive Director Sara Rothschild is representing the Liposarcoma Support Network at the #CTOS2025 Annual Meeting, connecting with leading sarcoma experts and highlighting our growing advocacy and research initiatives.

If you are able, please consider supporting my PMC ride. Every dollar brings us closer to new treatments and hope for those facing rare cancers.

Why I Ride ... url:https://profile.pmc.org/NS0284

Today is Rare Disease Day, and a great reminder of the importance of NIH and science funding in driving hope 🧬⬇️

www.rarediseaseday.org

Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...

#FORTRESS2025 is over - another one for the books!

Thanks to the organizers for the opportunity to present & discuss our work and - most importantly - get in touch with #sarcoma #researchers from all over the world and so many young talented students.

Grateful! 🙏

Somewhere in the U.S., there’s a scientist staring at their NSF/NIH grant application wondering why they bother. This post is for you. Science and society both need you. Hang in there and know there is a whole community supporting you.

Rare germline structural variants increase risk for pediatric solid tumors Pediatric solid tumors are a leading cause of childhood disease mortality. In this work, we examined germline structural variants (SVs) as risk factors for pediatric extracranial solid tumors using ge...

Here's our latest, led by Drs. Riaz Gillani & Ryan Collins - we studied a type of inherited genetic event (structural variants) + risk of developing certain cancers in kids:
@danafarber.bsky.social @bostonchildrens.bsky.social @broadinstitute.org @science.org

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Our latest work is now available to read on bioRxiv! Very proud of this and its potential implications for patients with acute myeloid leukemia 🩸 🧪 🔬💊 **eIF4A-mediated translation initiation as an AML cell vulnerability that can be co-targeted with BCL-2 inhibition** www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Sarcoma research fellows and postdocs please consider applying!

Exciting new platform for TCR development!

Schematic representation of HGSCO progression, emphasizing the temporal development of hallmark cancer features and the dynamic interplay and interactions between immune cells and precancer/cancer cells. Cancer often starts with oncogenic changes (mutations, aneuploidy, and other cancer hallmarks), under selective pressure. These cells may remain latent for decades. Only a subset of these “phenotypically normal” but mutated clones undergo clonal expansion and acquire additional mutations, ultimately developing into cancer. Early on, despite limited genomic instability, innate immune responses, including the NK-cDC1-CTL axis and tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM), help contain p53 signature cells. Increasing aneuploidy or extrinsic factors can enhance immune surveillance, potentially eliminating precancer clones before significant proliferation occurs. During early STIC expansion, there is pronounced IFN response activation, with activated cDC1 and APCs, and NK cell-secreted chemokines, further attracting cDC1. This environment suggests active immune surveillance and is accompanied by interactions among APCs, activated CD4+, and CD8+ T cells. However, immunosuppressive cells, such as M2-like macrophages and Tregs, also emerge, indicating a complex equilibrium where cytotoxic and suppressive forces coexist. As STIC lesions advance, there is a reduction in CD8+ T cells and the interactions between APCs and CD4 T cells, along with an increase in exhausted CD8+ CTL and CD4+ cells expressing LAG3, almost no NK and cDC1 cells, and more suppressive APCs. The transition from STIC to overt cancer involves hallmark mechanisms such as TGF-β signaling, which excludes CTLs, changes in cytokine and fibroblast profiles, and induction of EMT and migratory programs. Dotted arrows indicate the hypothetical timing of these events, suggesting a prolonged interval from p53 signature to early STIC, followed by a more rapid progression from early to late STIC.

Now online in Cancer Discovery: Multimodal Spatial Profiling Reveals Immune Suppression and Microenvironment Remodeling in Fallopian Tube Precursors to High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma - by Tanjina Kader, Jia-Ren Lin, Clemens Hug, Ronny Drapkin, Sandro Santagata, et al. doi.org/10.1158/2159...

T cells lead the charge against solid tumors - Nature Cancer In 2024, two groundbreaking approvals from the US Food and Drug Administration for T cell-based therapies that target solid tumors were achieved. Lifileucel, a polyclonal tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte...

🔭 What’s in store next for cell therapy for solid tumours?

2024 has been seismic with the @fda.gov approval of Lifileucel (melanoma) & Afami-cel (sarcoma).

Check out this outlook piece out today in Nat Cancer by Kishton & Restifo 👇

@natureportfolio.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/s43...

My hope exactly! I’d love to connect to discuss further and explore potential collaborations! Brilliant study- well done!

Exciting work engineering MDM2-containing ecDNAs in cells and mice!

Branching out and looking for my #sarcoma colleagues here @bsky.app!

Well deserved! Congratulations, Geoff!

A Phase 1 Study of FHD-609, a Heterobifunctional Degrader of Bromodomain-Containing Protein 9, in Patients With Advanced Synovial Sarcoma or SMARCB1-Deficient Tumors Abstract. Purpose: FHD-609, a potent, selective, heterobifunctional degrader of bromodomain-containing protein 9 (BRD9), was evaluated for treatment of patients with advanced synovial sarcoma (SS) or ...

A Phase 1 Study of FHD-609, a Heterobifunctional Degrader of Bromodomain-Containing Protein 9, in Patients With Advanced #Synovial #Sarcoma or SMARCB1-Deficient Tumors aacrjournals.org/clincancerre... #hvhebron #onco

First engineered T-cell therapy put to the test in solid tumors An immune-boosting therapy similar to therapies that save lives in advanced blood cancers has now been used to treat a patient with metastatic synovial sarcoma, a rare, aggressive soft tissue cancer.

Historic milestone: The first T cell therapy has been approved for a solid tumor—synovial sarcoma. 🧬 This breakthrough is a lifeline for patients with this rare cancer. Read @neilosterweil.bsky.social's story in Medical News Insider: medicalnewsinsider.substack.com/p/first-car-... 🩺 #CancerResearch

Tune in now!

Last chance to donate to this important #Leiomyosarcma research study and have your donation DOUBLED! #biggive #sarcoma #cancerresearch

Method of the Year 2024: spatial proteomics - Nature Methods Approaches for profiling the spatial proteome in tissues are the basis of atlas-scale projects that are delivering on their promise for understanding biological complexity in health and disease.

I could not be more thrilled to announce the Nature Methods @naturemethods.bsky.social Method of the Year is Spatial Proteomics! Please see our editorial as a roadmap to the fantastic content in this special issue! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Prof. Jennifer Guerriero the #macrophage expert @danafarber.bsky.social #Harvard talks on #TAM complexity. Uses gene signatures to characterize TAM in #TNBC / @breastcancernow.bsky.social @bccroc.bsky.social @ibcnetworkuk.bsky.social @sitcancer.bsky.social
#Bridge2024 #FinishCancer

Ludwig Harvard | 2024 retreat YouTube video by Ludwig Cancer Research

At last week’s stimulating Ludwig Harvard retreat, we caught up with the Center’s Co-directors George Demetri & Joan Brugge to ask them about the thinking behind the Harvard Center’s extraordinarily collaborative structure.
Check out this short video to find out what they said: youtu.be/kP_uPcnfC94

Impressive work from the Elledge lab!

SARC Talk Episode 22 - Dr. Seth Pollack SARC Talk · Episode

Lurie Cancer Center’s Seth Pollack, MD, joins #SARCTalk to share insights on #sarcoma #clinicaltrials, #research, and advice for young investigators. #SARCTrials

Listen to the podcast now! open.spotify.com/episode/36b3...