1500 East Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Available to mentor
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Center MemberRogel Cancer Center
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Center MemberCenter for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
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Center MemberPrecision Health Initiative
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Center MemberInstitute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation
Dr. Sofia D. Merajver is an expert in clinical and translational research and breast cancer genetics with multidisciplinary research interests in the molecular genetics of breast cancer, molecular translational research, novel therapeutics, environmental and lifestyle modifiers of risk, gene function, clinical cancer risk assessment, international breast cancer research and prevention, and global health of non-communicable disease, all of which are represented in her nearly 300 publications. Her laboratory studies aggressive forms of breast cancer, with inflammatory breast cancer being the primary model. Her research is both clinical and translational. Dr. Merajver laboratory has discovered genetic alterations that contribute to an especially malignant phenotype of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). They have isolated and characterized two markers specific for inflammatory breast cancer: a novel transforming oncogene RhoC-GTPase and a tumor suppressor gene termed WISP3, which is a low affinity IGF-binding protein. The laboratory has embarked on the study of RhoC signaling in single live cells utilizing laser spectroscopic techniques and mathematical modeling. Dr. Merajver has designed, conducted, and supervised Phase I, II, and III interventional therapeutic trials and Phase III prevention trials. In recent years, Dr. Merajver has built a mathematical modeling research portfolio that focuses on theoretical and experimental approaches to understanding the integration between cellular signaling and metabolism in cancer, as well as the development of predictive biomarkers of drug response to conventional and targeted therapies. Dr. Merajver and colleagues are studying polymorphisms and mutations in new candidate tumor suppressor genes and their relationship to breast cancer risk in non-BRCA 1/2 families. Dr. Merajver has a portfolio of projects ranging from molecular genetics to epidemiology to clinical care that she organizes in international settings. In her tenure as Director of the university-wide center for Global Health, Dr. Merajver helped define the global health agenda for the University of Michigan and has created multi-lateral and multi-disciplinary platforms of research and education engagement in global health equity. Dr. Merajver is actively engaged in health disparities research ranging from molecular determinants of untoward outcomes in African Americans and economically disadvantaged minorities to low resource world populations in Africa and Latin America. She is especially well known as an educator and dedicated mentor of postdoctoral and pre-doctoral students and of junior faculty at the UM Medical School and the School of Public Health and at many institutions worldwide, where her former trainees are engaged in scientific work and leadership. Dr. Merajver has trained over 140 scientists in her career, 60 of whom are pre-doctoral or post-doctoral and 100% of them are engaged in cancer research at academic institutions, government, and industry. She has received numerous honors and awards and Dr. Merajver is the only faculty member in the University of Michigan Medical School who has received both the Dean’s Basic Science Research Award and the MICHR Distinguished Translational Mentor Award.
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Serhan HA, Bao L, Cheng X, Qin Z, Liu C-J, Heth JA, Udager AM, Soellner MB, Merajver SD, Morikawa A, Merrill NM. NPJ Breast Cancer, 2024 Jun 10; 10 (1): 43Journal ArticleTargeting fatty acid synthase in preclinical models of TNBC brain metastases synergizes with SN-38 and impairs invasion.
DOI:10.1038/s41523-024-00656-0 PMID: 38858374 -
Niu Z, Kozminsky M, Day KC, Broses LJ, Henderson ML, Patsalis C, Tagett R, Qin Z, Blumberg S, Reichert ZR, Merajver SD, Udager AM, Palmbos PL, Nagrath S, Day ML. Neoplasia, 2024 Aug 21; 57: 101036Journal ArticleCharacterization of circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic bladder cancer utilizing functionalized microfluidics.
DOI:10.1016/j.neo.2024.101036 PMID: 39173508 -
Morikawa A, Rastogi T, Ulintz P, Serhan H, Nieblas-Bedolla E, Heth J, Cheng X, Bao L, Udager AM, Soellner M, Merrill N, Merajver SD. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2024 Aug 10; 42 (23_suppl): 28 - 28.Proceeding / Abstract / PosterExamining molecular landscape and drug sensitivity profiles of patient-derived xenografts from resected brain metastases.
DOI:10.1200/jco.2024.42.23_suppl.28 -
Merajver SD, Udager AM, Qin A, Lagisetty K, Bao L, Cheng X, Madhi H, Goo L, Kathawate V, Ulintz P, Liu A, Serhan H, Navani V, Jefferies JL, Ali MS, Monument M, Kratz JR, Smith A, Soellner M, Merrill N. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2024 Aug 10; 42 (23_suppl): 215 - 215.Journal ArticlePrecision medicine-based platform to guide the treatment of EML4-ALK driven lung cancers and other NSCLC in real time.
DOI:10.1200/jco.2024.42.23_suppl.215 -
Pattelli ON, Valdivia EM, Beyersdorf MS, Regan CS, Rivas M, Hebert KA, Merajver SD, Cierpicki T, Mapp AK. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 2024 May 21; 63 (21): e202400781Journal ArticleA Lipopeptidomimetic of Transcriptional Activation Domains Selectively Disrupts the Coactivator Med25 Protein-Protein Interactions.
DOI:10.1002/anie.202400781 PMID: 38527936 -
Pattelli ON, Valdivia EM, Beyersdorf MS, Regan CS, Rivas M, Hebert KA, Merajver SD, Cierpicki T, Mapp AK. Angewandte Chemie, 2024 May 21; 136 (21):Journal ArticleA Lipopeptidomimetic of Transcriptional Activation Domains Selectively Disrupts the Coactivator Med25 Protein–Protein Interactions
DOI:10.1002/ange.202400781 -
Merrill NM, Kaffenberger SD, Bao L, Vandecan N, Goo LE, Apfel A, Cheng X, Qin Z, Liu C-J, Bankhead A, Wang Y, Kathawate V, Tudrick L, Serhan H, Farah Z, Ellimoottil C, Hafez KS, Herrel LA, Montgomery JS, Morgan TM, Salami SS, Weizer AZ, Ulintz PJ, Day ML, Soellner MB, Palmbos PL, Merajver SD, Udager AM. Clinical Cancer Research, 2024 May 17; 30 (10_Supplement): A009 - A009.Journal ArticleAbstract A009: Integrative drug screening and multi-omic characterization of patient-derived bladder cancer organoids reveals novel molecular correlates of chemotherapy response
DOI:10.1158/1557-3265.bladder24-a009 -
Serhan H, Bao L, Cheng X, Soellner M, Merajver S, Morikawa A, Merrill N. Cancer Research, 2024 May 2; 84 (9_Supplement): po3-06-12-po3-06-12Proceeding / Abstract / PosterAbstract PO3-06-12: Targeting Fatty Acid Synthase in Brain Metastatic Triple-negative Breast Cancer
DOI:10.1158/1538-7445.sabcs23-po3-06-12