Meet the PI!
Brandon Faubert, PhD
Brandon is an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago (Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology). He is a member of the UChicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as the Center for Cancer Metabolomics.
Brandon completed his PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Russell Jones at McGill University, where he studied the role of the energy-sensing LKB1-AMPK pathway in cancer. He performed his postdoctoral training with Dr. Ralph DeBerardinis at UT Southwestern, where his research focused on tumor metabolism in lung cancer patients. He held PhD and postdoctoral fellowships from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and was awarded a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Cancer Institute. As PI, Brandon has received a Young Investigator Award from the Cancer Research Foundation.
At UT Southwestern, Brandon was recognized as a finalist for the Brown and Goldstein Postdoctoral Award in 2019, given to the top postdoctoral fellow. In 2021 he was nominated for the 2021 UTSW Distinguished Postdoctoral Service Award for teaching, mentoring and leadership. He was recognized within the Children’s Research Institute as the Collaborator of the Year in 2018.
Our Lab Members!
Massar Alsamraae, PhD, M.Sc.
Staff Scientist, Department of Medicine
Lung Cancer remains one of the most challenging health concerns worldwide, necessitating innovative strategies to improve treatment outcomes and patient quality of life. My study more focus on the role of lactate transporter monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in lung cancer metastasis. In addition, my research aims to contribute to this effort by investigating novel therapeutic approaches that target specific molecular pathways in lung cancer cells, ultimately leading to more effective and personalized treatment regimens
Nia Hammond
PhD Student
Originally from Denver, Colorado. I graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a double major in biochemistry and molecular, developmental, and cellular biology. I’m interested in understanding the metabolic pathways that aid in metastasis and how different organs may be unique metabolic environments that require specific metabolic adaptations to survive in
Robert Cameron, PhD, MD.
Clinical Fellow, Department of Hematology/Oncology
Originally from Germantown, TN, he obtained his B.S. in Chemistry from Davidson College before obtaining his M.D. and Ph.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina. His dissertation work in the laboratory of Rick Schnellmann focused on beta-2 adrenergic receptor signaling in renal proximal tubule mitochondrial biogenesis. He then came to the University of Chicago for his internal medicine residency and hematology/oncology fellowship as part of the Physician Scientist Development Program. His current work in the Faubert lab centers on leveraging lactate metabolism in concert with clinically applicable drugs to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). His clinical work has focused on surrogate endpoints for early stage NSCLC. When not in the lab or clinic, he spends time paying tribute to his Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Oligoproline.
Aaron Dyas
Undergraduate Student
Aaron Dyas is a third-year undergraduate student at the College majoring in the Biological Sciences, specializing in Global Health. He is from Grosse pointe, Michicgan! Within the lab, he is focussing on targeting the lactate transporter MCT1 for metastatic progression.
