LaBelle Lab

James LaBelle is a pediatric hematologist / oncologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

The amazing LaBelle Lab team circa 2017.

I spent two years as a lab technician in James LaBelle's lab at the University of Chicago after receiving my bachelor's degree. My western blots had other labs on our floor jealous 😏

The major goal of the LaBelle lab is to pharmacologically target intracellular proteins to induce cancer cell death and manipulate the immune response. My project in the lab looked at applying new research tools and prototype therapeutics to target the BCL-2 family of proteins and other cell signaling proteins in immune cells to induce a death response.

My work at the LaBelle lab was published in Oncotarget on October 2019. Here's a link to the paper:

Preferential targeting of MCL-1 by a hydrocarbon-stapled BIM BH3 peptide | Oncotarget

Research Papers: ABSTRACT The BCL-2 family can be divided into multidomain anti-apoptotic ( e.g. BCL-2, BCL-X L, BCL-W, MCL-1, BFL-1) and pro-apoptotic ( e.g. BAK, BAX) proteins. The functional interactions between these anti- and pro-apoptotic partners is controlled by a third group of proteins known as BH3-only proteins ( e.g.

www.oncotarget.com

During my time working there, I also had the opportunity to shadow James at Comer Children's Hospital.

After wrapping up my time in the lab and starting medical school, James has stayed a mentor to me and continues to inspire me.

For more info about the LaBelle lab, go to their website: 👇

labelle lab

The major goal of the laboratory is to dissect and pharmacologically target intracellular proteins to induce cancer cell death and manipulate the immune response. We are currently applying new research tools and prototype therapeutics that we, and others, have developed to target the BCL-2 family of proteins and other cell signaling proteins in immune cells.

labellelab.uchicago.edu