Research group of Prof. Maria (Masha) Babak at City University of Hong Kong #anticancerdrugdiscovery #globalpublichealth #AI-assisteddrugdisovery thebabaklab.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social@thebabaklab.bsky.social - The Babak Labhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mwvwtrohxk2lWe were happy to meet the new students as part of the Hong Kong Hospitality Program at CityU! πŸ’™ It was a pleasure getting to know everyone and welcoming the new members of our community. Looking forward to everything ahead! ✨ #CityU #HongKongHospitalityProgram #StudentLife #HongKong #Welcome02 Oct 2026 17:52 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwvwtrohxk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mwqzftmhrc22A major limitation of many antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) and small molecule–drug conjugates (SMDCs) is their dependence on receptor-mediated endocytosis: the drug must enter the cell before releasing its payload. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡30 Sep 2026 18:55 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwqzftmhrc22https://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mwluxujcsc2qThe @fda.gov has approved Tudriqev (vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg) in combination with nivolumab for adults with unresectable advanced cutaneous melanoma whose disease progressed after prior PD-1–based therapy. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡28 Sep 2026 17:52 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwluxujcsc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mwdzrwjfyc2vThis week came with a very special reason to celebrate! πŸŽ‚βœ¨ We got together to wish our wonderful PI, Dr. Masha, a very Happy Birthday! πŸ’™ Thank you for everything you bring to the lab, from your guidance and support to all the science and good moments we share together.25 Sep 2026 14:57 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwdzrwjfyc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mw7lnxgkds2tA new study in Cell Chemical Biology explored how the mechanism driving oncogene overexpression can determine the effectiveness of protein degraders such as PROTACs. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #TargetedProteinDegradation #PROTAC #CancerResearch #DrugDiscovery #Oncology23 Sep 2026 20:34 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw7lnxgkds2thttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mvysurzov22iThe @fda.gov has approved the first gene therapy for children with Sanfilippo syndrome type A. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #ClinicalMondays #GeneTherapy #SanfilippoSyndrome #Pediatrics #OrphanDrug #FastTrack #BreakthroughTherapy21 Sep 2026 03:54 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvysurzov22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mvsi2zs3s22d#LabLife Sharing some experience from 2 days with LARU buddies Alisa Potapova and Kirill Kriukov. Just processed around 75 mice, collecting tumors and organs. A lot of analysis is still ahead, but at least this part is done! #LARU #Research #TeamScience #CancerResearch18 Sep 2026 15:25 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvsi2zs3s22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mvimloywvs2zThe @fda.gov has approved the first therapy for glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa). Genglycos (pariglasgene brecaparvovec-opnr) received accelerated approval for patients aged 8 years and older. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #ClinicalMondays #GeneTherapy #RareDisease #GSDIa #FDA14 Sep 2026 17:19 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvimloywvs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mvawvxrjsc23#LabLife Dasha is sharing flow cytometry life hacks with Alisa and MiraπŸ§ͺ✨ #LabLife #FlowCytometry #Research #TeamScience11 Sep 2026 16:02 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvawvxrjsc23https://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mv6txcaxxc2fResearchers developed ProteinTalks, an AI-based virtual cell model that predicts how cancer cells respond to drugs by tracking changes in their proteins over time. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #ScientificWednesdays #Proteomics #AI #DrugDiscovery #CancerResearch10 Sep 2026 20:04 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6txcaxxc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3muwxdjcvq22bMerck and Moderna have announced positive top-line results from the Phase 3 INTerpath-001 trial of intismeran autogene (V940) + pembrolizumab in patients with resected high-risk melanoma. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #ClinicalMondays #Melanoma #CancerVaccine #mRNA #Immunotherapy07 Sep 2026 16:43 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3muwxdjcvq22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3murfm7jwuk2y#LabLife Welcome Mira and Lucy! πŸ§ͺ✨ 🦠 Mira joins us as a new Research Assistant, with an interest in microbiome-cancer interactions. πŸ”¬ Lucy joins us as our Lab Manager and is interested in forensic pathology. So happy to have you both on the team! πŸ’™05 Sep 2026 11:43 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3murfm7jwuk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mukil6jywk2gA new @cellpress.bsky.social study analyzed 262 solid tumors across 18 tumor types using spatial transcriptomics and identified conserved, hierarchically organized regions of the tumor microenvironment, termed β€œspatial groups.” Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #CancerResearch02 Sep 2026 17:47 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukil6jywk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mufphlay6c2gOn July 22, the @FDA approved zidesamtinib (Jideytro) for adults with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have already received at least one ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #LungCancer #NSCLC #ROS131 Aug 2026 20:07 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mufphlay6c2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mtylgelinc2fA new @nature.com study from the Human Cancer Models Initiative (HCMI) presents a large, deeply characterized collection of next-generation patient-derived cancer models. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #CancerResearch #Organoids #CancerModels26 Aug 2026 14:50 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtylgelinc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mtumvodecc2bThe @fda.gov has approved lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan (Pluvicto) in combination with androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) therapy for adults with PSMA-positive metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naΓ―ve or-sensitive prostate cancer (mAPMN/S). Link in the comments πŸ‘‡25 Aug 2026 01:06 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtumvodecc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mtgdiytzw22uAntibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) often face a hard limit: when cancer cells downregulate a target like HER2 or exhibit heterogeneous expression, the treatment stops working. A recent @nature.com study introduces a modular in vivo click chemistry approach to bypass this hurdle Link in the comments πŸ‘‡19 Aug 2026 08:41 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtgdiytzw22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mtaj6yrekc2gThe @fda.gov has approved Tudriqev in combination with nivolumab for adults with unresectable or metastatic cutaneous melanoma that progressed following prior anti-PD-1 therapy. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡17 Aug 2026 01:07 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtaj6yrekc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mt2hgc2h7s2q#LabLife Our wonderful interns have completed their internship! πŸŽ“βœ¨ Thank you for your hard work, curiosity, and great energy. We are so proud of you and wish you lots of success in everything ahead! We’ll miss having you in the lab. πŸ’™ #LabLife #Internship #Research #TeamScience14 Aug 2026 15:19 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2hgc2h7s2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3msvisrjvkc2lThe tumor microenvironment is not just a mixture of cancer, immune, and stromal cells. Their spatial organization can influence tumor progression and treatment response, but mapping it usually requires complex and expensive technologies. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡12 Aug 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvisrjvkc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3msqaoelsq22jDespite a turbulent year at the FDA, 46 new therapeutic agents received CDER approval in 2025, keeping the annual number well above the historical average of 36 approvals per year since 1993. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡10 Aug 2026 13:52 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqaoelsq22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3msj4c5wlk22x#LabLife Happy Birthday to Nikita Kuznetsov! πŸŽ‰ You're a true deep thinker who brings a reflective perspective to our team ❀️and we really appreciate how you help everyone analyse their ideas and propose new experiments using your deep chemistry knowledge πŸ’Š07 Aug 2026 17:44 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3msj4c5wlk22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3msdw7i7yn22uA new @science.org study shows that the time of antigen exposure influences how dendritic cells program CD8⁺ T-cell memory through their intrinsic circadian clock, with important implications for vaccination and immunotherapy. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡05 Aug 2026 16:12 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3msdw7i7yn22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3ms6zyxrea22qCan a single CAR T-cell infusion lead to decade-long remission in B-cell lymphoma? A new @nejm.org study reports some of the longest follow-up data available for anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #Oncology #CARTcell #CellTherapy03 Aug 2026 17:37 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms6zyxrea22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mryobee5jk24Huge congratulations to Dr. Andy on graduating with his PhD! πŸŽ“ We wish you the absolute best in your next chapter, Dr. Andy!01 Aug 2026 04:51 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mryobee5jk24https://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mrsosrhp6c2dA recent Nature study reveals that prior chemotherapy and radiation do not simply kill cancer cells β€” they leave distinct, measurable mutational scars that actively shape tumor evolution at relapse. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #ChildhoodCancer #NatureResearch #CancerGenomics29 Jul 2026 19:45 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrsosrhp6c2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mrn7mfjcnc2mCan pancreatic cancer be intercepted before it develops? Most pancreatic cancers begin with KRAS mutations, often years before an invasive tumor appears. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #PancreaticCancer #KRAS #CancerVaccines #CancerPrevention #Immunotherapy #ClinicalTrials27 Jul 2026 15:29 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrn7mfjcnc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mrfapmu3622u#LabLife Lab meetings in progress! A quick hello from our team! We hope you all have a wonderful weekend filled with good company and inspiration. See you next week! ✨24 Jul 2026 11:28 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfapmu3622uhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mrd55nxyks2bCan ferroptosis make cancer vaccines more effective? A recent study in @nature.com offers a clever workaround: pre-treating tumor cells with ferroptosis before using their lysates to load DCs. Link in the comments πŸ‘‡ #CancerResearch #Immunotherapy23 Jul 2026 15:19 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrd55nxyks2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebabaklab.bsky.social/post/3mr3xecsmjk27Is targeted protein degradation ready to compete with established cancer therapies? The latest Phase 3 data suggest the answer may be yes. Results from the SUCCESSOR-2 trial have put mezigdomide in the spotlight. Article link πŸ‘‡ #MultipleMyeloma #Oncology #ClinicalTrials20 Jul 2026 18:46 +0000at://did:plc:m66exquthfrvmkfbxosgeys7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3xecsmjk27