Javier Garcia-Bermudez, Ph.D.

Research

Many cancers enhance both lipid synthesis and uptake to support their progression, but the complexity and diversity of lipids have hindered a complete understanding of their roles in cancer progression. Lipoproteins, the main carriers of lipids in blood, are avidly taken up by tumors, yet how their complex lipid cargo, which includes dietary lipids, influences cancer progression remains unclear. This is especially relevant given that lipoprotein levels are often elevated in cancer patients due to common comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes. My lab investigates how tumor-acquired exogenous lipids, primarily those derived from lipoproteins, promote cancer aggressiveness. I will combine modulation of lipoprotein uptake in tumors, genetic manipulation of circulating lipoprotein levels in mouse models, and in vivo lipid-focused genetic screens to uncover lipid-driven mechanisms that support tumor growth, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Our goal is to define how cancer cells exploit host lipid pools and identify metabolic vulnerabilities that may be targeted to improve patient outcomes.