Education:
B.S., Biotechnology, Sao Paulo State University, Assis SP, Brazil

Research Focus: 

Dr. Tiago’s study is entitled “Inhibition of BET proteins to optimize BRAF/MEK inhibition therapy for mutant BRAF melanoma”. She aims to determine if the inhibition of BET proteins could enhance the efficacy of BRAF plus MEK inhibitors combination (BRAFi/MEKi) therapy by suppressing the adaptive receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in response to BRAF/MEK targeting therapy. The BRAFi/MEKi- associated upregulation of RTKs confers tumor survival advantage, leading to disease relapse within one year. Furthermore, recent studies have shown BET inhibitors may alter kinase signaling pathways and decrease tumor cell growth and survival by RTK downregulation. Her studies are addressing new combination therapies needed to provide unmet needs in the melanoma field: durable antitumor effects in patients with BRAFV600 melanoma patients. Her study was recently published in the British Journal of Cancer (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41416-019-0724-y).