Christopher Vakoc
Professor
Cancer Center Program Co-Leader
Alan and Edith Seligson Professor of Cancer Research
M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2007
vakoc@cshl.edu | 516-367-5045
Cancer cells achieve their pathogenicity by changing which genes are on and off. To maintain these changes in gene expression, cancer cells rely on proteins that interact with DNA or modify chromatin. My group investigates how such factors sustain the aberrant capabilities of cancer cells, thereby identifying new therapeutic targets.
Cancer can be understood as a disease of dysfunctional gene expression control. Research in Chris Vakoc’s lab investigates how transcription factors and chromatin regulators cooperate to control gene expression and maintain the cancer cell state. This work makes extensive use of genetic screens to reveal cancer-specific functions for transcriptional regulators, as well as genomic and biochemical approaches to identify molecular mechanisms. One theme that has emerged from their efforts is that blood cancers are often vulnerable to targeting transcriptional coactivators, such as BRD4 and the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex. Vakoc’s team demonstrated that chemical inhibition of BRD4 exhibits therapeutic effects in mouse models of leukemia, a finding that has motivated ongoing clinical trials in human leukemia patients. The Vakoc lab has also developed a CRISPR-Cas9 screening approach that can reveal individual protein domains that sustain cancer cells. Their lab is now deploying this technology in a diverse array of human cancers to reveal therapeutic opportunities and basic mechanisms of cancer gene control.
Vakoc wins Paul Marks Prize for cancer research
AACR Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research Award
Forbeck Scholar Award
"V Scholar" by The V Foundation for Cancer Research
Burroughs Welcome Fund Career Award for Medical Scientists
Pershing Square Sohn Prize
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar Award
The immune system’s moonlighters
February 20, 2024
A tiny protein sequence with the potential to unlock new therapies against autoimmune diseases has been hiding in plain sight— until now.
Pancreatic cancer hijacks a brain-building protein
February 14, 2024
CSHL researchers have found that EN-1, a protein involved in neurodevelopment, can help pancreatic cancer spread throughout the body.
Angel’s Wish raises $45K for CSHL cancer research
February 7, 2024
The Christina Renna Foundation’s generous gift supports Professor Christopher Vakoc’s pioneering sarcoma research.
Mary Ruchalski Foundation supports Vakoc lab at CSHL
January 9, 2024
On December 29, 2023, the Mary Ruchalski Foundation presented a check for $150,000 to support Chris Vakoc’s rhabdomyosarcoma research.
Vakoc receives Excellence in Healthcare Award
October 26, 2023
The award recognizes his breakthrough sarcoma research. This is the second year in a row that the LI Herald has honored a member of the CSHL faculty.
Second Annual Tree Lighting for Pediatric Cancer Awareness
September 7, 2023
CSHL hosted its second annual tree lighting ceremony, marking the beginning of September as the National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Once rhabdomyosarcoma, now muscle
August 28, 2023
“Every successful medicine has its origin story,” says CSHL’s Christopher Vakoc. “And research like this is the soil from which new drugs are born.”
President’s essay: Bringing bold visions to life
May 26, 2023
CSHL President & CEO Bruce Stillman sees the Laboratory as a global hub for scientific expertise and a powerful launchpad for early-career scientists.
The CSHL School of Biological Sciences’ class of 2023
May 7, 2023
The School of Biological Sciences awarded 11 Ph.D. degrees this year. Here, the graduates reflect on their time and experiences at CSHL.
Christina Renna Foundation raises $30K for sarcoma research
February 2, 2023
The generous gift supports CSHL’s Sarcoma Research Project and Professor Christopher Vakoc’s ongoing rhabdomyosarcoma research.
All Publications
Therapeutic index of targeting select chromatin complexes in human cancer patients
23 Feb 2024 | Current Opinion in Genetics and Development | 85:102162
Gao, Yuan, Vakoc, Christopher
Chronic stress increases metastasis via neutrophil-mediated changes to the microenvironment
13 Feb 2024 | Cancer Cell
He, Xue-Yan, Gao, Yuan, Ng, David, Michalopoulou, Evdokia, George, Shanu, Adrover, Jose, Sun, Lijuan, Albrengues, Jean, Daßler-Plenker, Juliane, Han, Xiao, Wan, Ledong, Wu, Xiaoli, Shui, Longling, Huang, Yu-Han, Liu, Bodu, Su, Chang, Spector, David, Vakoc, Christopher, Van Aelst, Linda, Egeblad, Mikala
Targeting the mSWI/SNF Complex in POU2F-POU2AF Transcription Factor-Driven Malignancies
25 Jan 2024 | bioRxiv
He, Tongchen, Xiao, Lanbo, Qiao, Yuanyuan, Klingbeil, Olaf, Young, Eleanor, Wu, Xiaoli, Mannan, Rahul, Mahapatra, Somnath, Eyunni, Sanjana, Tien, Jean, Wang, Xiaoju, Zheng, Yang, Kim, NamHoon, Zheng, Heng, Hou, Siyu, Su, Fengyun, Miner, Stephanie, Mehra, Rohit, Cao, Xuhong, Sekhar, A, Samajdar, Susanta, Ramachandra, Murali, Parolia, Abhijit, Vakoc, Christopher, Chinnaiyan, Arul
IκBζ is a dual-use coactivator of NF-κB and POU transcription factors
24 Jan 2024 | Molecular Cell | :S1097-2765(24)00008
Alpsoy, Aktan, Wu, Xiaoli, Pal, Sujay, Klingbeil, Olaf, Kumar, Pramod, El Demerdash, Osama, Nalbant, Benan, Vakoc, Christopher
A mucus production programme promotes classical pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
23 Jan 2024 | Gut
Tonelli, Claudia, Yordanov, Georgi, Hao, Yuan, Deschênes, Astrid, Hinds, Juliene, Belleau, Pascal, Klingbeil, Olaf, Brosnan, Erin, Doshi, Abhishek, Park, Youngkyu, Hruban, Ralph, Vakoc, Christopher, Dobin, Alexander, Preall, Jonathan, Tuveson, David
Engrailed-1 Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis
18 Dec 2023 | Advanced Science | :e2308537
Xu, Jihao, Roe, Jae-Seok, Lee, EunJung, Tonelli, Claudia, Ji, Keely, Younis, Omar, Somervile, Tim, Yao, Melissa, Milazzo, Joseph, Tiriac, Herve, Kolarzyk, Anna, Lee, Esak, Grem, Jean, Lazenby, Audrey, Grunkemeyer, James, Hollingsworth, Michael, Grandgenett, Paul, Borowsky, Alexander, Park, Youngkyu, Vakoc, Christopher, Tuveson, David, Hwang, Chang-Il
MYOD-SKP2 axis boosts tumorigenesis in fusion negative rhabdomyosarcoma by preventing differentiation through p57Kip2 targeting
15 Dec 2023 | Nature Communications | 14(1):8373
Pomella, Silvia, Cassandri, Matteo, D'Archivio, Lucrezia, Porrazzo, Antonella, Cossetti, Cristina, Phelps, Doris, Perrone, Clara, Pezzella, Michele, Cardinale, Antonella, Wachtel, Marco, Aloisi, Sara, Milewski, David, Colletti, Marta, Sreenivas, Prethish, Walters, Zoë, Barillari, Giovanni, Di Giannatale, Angela, Milano, Giuseppe, De Stefanis, Cristiano, Alaggio, Rita, Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Sonia, Carlesso, Nadia, Vakoc, Christopher, Velardi, Enrico, Schafer, Beat, Guccione, Ernesto, Gatz, Susanne, Wasti, Ajla, Yohe, Marielle, Ignatius, Myron, Quintarelli, Concetta, Shipley, Janet, Miele, Lucio, Khan, Javed, Houghton, Peter, Marampon, Francesco, Gryder, Berkley, De Angelis, Biagio, Locatelli, Franco, Rota, Rossella
Marker-based CRISPR screening reveals a MED12-p63 interaction that activates basal identity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
27 Oct 2023 | bioRxiv
Maia-Silva, Diogo, Schier, Allison, Skopelitis, Damianos, Kechejian, Vahag, Alpsoy, Aktan, Liverpool, Jynelle, Taatjes, Dylan, Vakoc, Christopher
Myo-differentiation reporter screen reveals NF-Y as an activator of PAX3-FOXO1 in rhabdomyosarcoma
5 Sep 2023 | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | 120(36):e2303859120
Sroka, Martyna, Skopelitis, Damianos, Vermunt, Marit, Preall, Jonathan, El Demerdash, Osama, de Almeida, Larissa, Chang, Kenneth, Utama, Raditya, Gryder, Berkley, Caligiuri, Giuseppina, Ren, Diqiu, Nalbant, Benan, Milazzo, Joseph, Tuveson, David, Dobin, Alexander, Hiebert, Scott, Stengel, Kristy, Mantovani, Roberto, Khan, Javed, Kohli, Rahul, Shi, Junwei, Blobel, Gerd, Vakoc, Christopher
In vivo CRISPR/Cas9 Screening Identifies Pbrm1 as a Regulator of Mouse Myeloid Leukemia Development
10 Jul 2023 | Blood Advances | 7(18):5281-5293
Li, Bin, Li, Grace, Cai, Wenqing, Zhu, Qian, Seruggia, Davide, Fujiwara, Yuko, Vakoc, Christopher, Orkin, Stuart