Alex Toker

🔬 #CancerResearch Spotlight: AKT activation mitigates efficacy of androgen receptor (AR) targeted therapy in TMPRSS2:ERG fusion #ProstateCancer.
💡Patients with T:E fusion prostate cancer may benefit from combination therapy targeting AR and AKT.
📝Steven Balk MD, PhD, BIDMC @the-asci.org

A promotional graphic for the ASBMB 2026 scientific symposium on biochemical modifications in health and disease that includes a photo of organizer by Alex Toker.

Biochemical modifications help control cell function — and their disruption contributes to cancer, metabolic disease and neurodegeneration.

Join the #JBiolChem symposium organized by @alextoker.bsky.social to explore new research and emerging therapeutic insights: ow.ly/GtMz50Xwbo0.

Live from our #CancerSymposium - our debut poster session, featuring groundbreaking science in topics like cancer metabolism & biology, novel therapeutic targets, epigenetics & gene regulation, and more.
#CancerResearch

Photo collage. Top: Alex Toker, PhD, Associate Director, Cancer Research Institute at BIDMC smiling at the 2024 Cancer Center Symposium; Bottom left: aerial photo of first floor at Joseph B. Martin Conference Center; Bottom right: David Avigan, MD, Director, BIDMC Cancer Center, giving remarks at the podium at the 2024 Cancer Center Symposium.

📢 We are 3 days away from our #CancerSymposium! Join us for a day of invigorating discussion with leading oncology experts, a poster session, and networking opportunities.
🗓️ Friday, 11/21
📍 Joseph B. Martin Conference Center
⌚️ 9 AM - 5 PM
Register now ➡️ bit.ly/46IdysL

The glycosyltransferase ALG3 is an AKT substrate that regulates protein N-glycosylation AKT phosphorylates the glycosyltransferase ALG3. The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is frequently dysregulated in cancer and controls key cellular processes such as survival, proliferation, metabolism, an...

Congratulations to the wonderfully-talented @adrijanavarro.bsky.social on her #JBC paper out today! We took a dive into the wonderful world of glycobiology, linking it to AKT and oncogene signaling in cancer. Brought to you by Toker Lab productions. @asbmbjournals.bsky.social

congrats to you and everyone and thank you for including us in this exciting work!!

Leucine aminopeptidase LyLAP enables lysosomal degradation of membrane proteins Breakdown of every transmembrane protein trafficked to lysosomes requires proteolysis of their hydrophobic helical transmembrane domains. Combining lysosomal proteomics with functional genomic dataset...

An incredible tour de force in biochemistry and cell biology by superstar @robzonculab.bsky.social lab postdoc @aakritijain.bsky.social
LyLAP - a new lysosomal protease responsible for degrading integral membrane proteins in highly phagocytic cells like #PDAC cells.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

We stood up for science and will continue to stand up and fight, for our right, to…. do science!!
@tarumur.bsky.social @dibblelab.bsky.social @piskounovalab.bsky.social @bdmanning.bsky.social

The AACR is deeply concerned that the Administration’s recent actions are threatening NIH and its mission to accelerate progress for patients with cancer and other diseases that afflict millions of Americans. Read our statement: https://buff.ly/4gRXNB8

Outstanding new study from @ralitsamadsen.bsky.social. This is a must read for everyone in the field of cancer and PI3K! Congrats to all involved!

Harvard Professors Leaving for Private Sector Research | Harvard Magazine Three distinguished scientists on leaving academia to advance biomedical research

Interesting article and viewpoints. Hopefully these new models of research and training will work, as the current model is just unsustainable.

Epidermal growth factor receptor after 40 Years | Royal Society Discussion meeting organised by Professor Mark A Lemmon FRS.

If you are in London and are interested in the EGF receptor, come to this meeting at the Royal Society Dec 9/10 (online attendance also available). 40 years since the EGFR was sequenced (in London).

royalsociety.org/science-even...

Capivasertib Plus Abiraterone/ADT Improves rPFS in PTEN-Deficient mHSPC Capivasertib plus abiraterone and ADT improved rPFS in PTEN-deficient metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

Great news for AKT inhibitors! Capivasertib in combo with abiraterone and ADT improves progression free survival in PTEN deficient prostate cancer! Anticipating approval for this combo, coming off the approval of capi in ER+be breast cancer. Good work AZ!

www.onclive.com/view/capivas...

Women are under-represented at senior levels in #academia globally, & across all #science 🧪 disciplines, as shown by these "scissor-shaped curves" ✂️

So how can we ever achieve #gender #equality?

We discuss various strategies in this #Cell Commentary

#WomeninSTEM

www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
🧵 1/

go.bsky.app/HqEcaCw

PhosX is out! doi.org/10.1093/bioi... Leveraging the latest kinase specificity maps by the Cantley, Yaffe, and Turk labs and a rank sum statistic we created PhosX so now we can predict activities for nearly all kinases in your phosphodata, including the understudied ones. Check it out!

Join us in Boston! The Department of Molecular Metabolism (MET) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has just opened a Jr. Faculty search. Apply by January 15, 2025 at academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/14371

Targeting Cholesterol Biosynthesis with Statins Synergizes with AKT Inhibitors in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Two FDA-approved compounds, AKT inhibitors and pitavastatin, synergize to induce cell death in triple-negative breast cancer, motivating evaluation of the efficacy of this combination in clinical tria...

Published a few weeks ago in Cancer Research, we show benefit of targeting HMCR with pitavastatin in combo with AKT inhibitors in TNBC. Many amazing people contributed, led by the magnificently talented @alissandra-hillis.bsky.social! Looking to initiate new clinical trials based on this combo. 🧪

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Report: Every dollar of NIH research funding doubles in economic returns Research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) generated $2.46 in economic activity for every $1 of funding in 2023, a total of $92.9 billion, according to an

NIH research funding supported 412,000 jobs in 2023 & doubled economic returns www.fiercebiotech.com/research/rep... #NIH #research #funding

Vaccine shows promise against aggressive breast cancer | WashU Medicine Clinical trial targeted recurrence of hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer

Good morning, Bluesky. Today’s #GoodMorningNews: a trial at Washington University’s school of medicine has shown great results for a vaccine that would prevent recurrence for a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. It’s a small trial, but 3 years later 16/18 participants remain cancer free

Great to be posting science again!!
Very proud of this work, thanks to a wonderful collaboration with Forest White lab at MIT, Cantley lab at DFCI, and leb by the amazingly talented @alissandra-hillis.bsky.social! Published as fully @openaccess.bsky.social in PNAS.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

The honor was all mine. Thank you for being such gracious and generous hosts, it was a true privilege to give the lecture and also hear all the amazing science at the University of Dundee and the PPU.

Thank you for doing this! Many people to nominate here. Let's grow this community!

I made a starter pack for people interested in signal transduction! Please include yourself or others!

Tagging a few people to spread the word: @drstarbird.bsky.social @fantauzzolab.bsky.social @alextoker.bsky.social

go.bsky.app/MVvjypg

Inspired by the other amazing starter packs - here's one for cancer researchers!

I tried to make this broad - from immunology to genomics to cell biology and so much more..

This list also includes organizations & institutes supporting cancer researchers 🧪🔬⚕️🩺

Hope its useful!

go.bsky.app/FEoaJMc

I have said goodbye to the once great platform that was Twitter, and hope to find many of my science friends and stories here on BlueSky! Is there anybody out there...?