Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program
The Piro Lito Lab
Research
Professor
Our group studies the properties of oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth, focusing on lung cancer and other solid tumors. We are interested in understanding how these are activated, their regulatory mechanisms, and how they modulate the behavior of cancer cells. To answer these questions we utilize small molecule inhibitors coupled with biochemical and genetic approaches in patient-derived cell line or xenograft model systems. We aim to provide insight into the fundamental processes that govern tumor biology and to identify therapeutic interventions that will prolong survival and improve the quality of life in patients with cancer.
Research Projects
Featured News
Publications Highlights
Schulze C, Seamon KJ, Zhao Y, Yang YC, Cregg J, Kim DS, Tomlinson A, Choy TS, Wang Z, Sang B, Pourfarjam Y, Lucas J, Cuevas Navarro A, Ayala Santos C, Vides A, Marquez A, Zhong M, Vemulapalli V, Weller C, Gould A, Whalen D, Salvador A, Saldajeno-Concar M, Dinglasan N, Chen A, Evans J, Knox JE, Koltun ES, Li C, Singh M, Nichols R, Wildes D, Gill AL, Smith JAM and Lito P. Chemical remodeling of a cellular chaperone to target the active state of mutant KRAS. Science 2023 Aug 18;381(6659):794-799. doi: 10.1126/science.adg9652. Epub 2023 Aug 17. PMID: 37590355
Kim D, Herdeis L, Rudolph D, Zhao Y, Böttcher J, Vides A, Ayala-Santos C, Pourfarjam Y, Mantoulidis A, Wolkerstorfer B, Kroatisch KG, Sang B, Li C, McConnell DB, Kraut N and Lito P. Pan KRAS inhibitor selectively inactivates oncogenic signaling and tumor growth. Nature. 2023 Jul;619(7968):160-166 31. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06123-3. PMID: 37258666
Zhao Y, Murciano-Goroff Y, Xue Y, Ang A, Lucas J, Da Cruz Paula A, Mai T, Sisk A, Arora K, Roy R, Kim D, Li C, Lim L, Li M, Bahr A, Loomis B, de Stanchina E, Reis-Filho J, Weigelt B, Berger M, Riely G, Arbour K, Lipford R, Li B and Lito P. Diverse genetic alterations associated with resistance to KRAS(G12C) inhibition.Nature. 2021 Nov 10; 599(7886):679-683. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04065-2 PMID: 34759319
Li C, Vides A, Kim D, Xue J, Zhao Y and Lito P. The G-protein signaling regulator RGS3 enhances the GTPase activity of KRAS. Science. 2021 Oct 8;374(6564):197-201 PMID: 34618566
Xue JY, Zhao Y, Aronowitz J, Mai TT, Vides A, Qeriqi B, Kim D, Li C, de Stanchina E, Mazutis L, Risso D, Lito P. Rapid non-uniform adaptation to conformation-specific KRAS(G12C) inhibition. Nature. 2020;577(7790):421-5. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1884-x. PMID: 31915379
People
Piro Lito, MD, PhD
Enid A. Haupt Chair in Therapeutic Research
Professor
- Physician-scientist Piro Lito studies oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth.
- MD, PhD, Michigan State University
- View physician profile
- Physician profile
Members
Lab Alumni
Lab Affiliations
Achievements
- 2022 Life Sciences Breakthroughs of the Year
- ASCI Seldin Smith Award (2022)
- 2022 Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators
- FNIH Trailblazer Prize for Clinician Scientists (2021)
- Josie Robertson Investigator (2016-2021)
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- Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research (2019)
- Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator (2017)
- The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Translational Research Award (2015)
- LUNGevity Foundation, Career Development Award (2015)
- NIH K08, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (2015)
- Stand up to Cancer Lung Cancer Dream Team, Young Investigator (2015)
- Conquer Cancer Foundation, Young Investigator Award (2013)
- Charles A. Dana Fellow/Clinical Scholar in Biomedical Research (2011)
Open Positions
To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center
To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs
Postdoctoral Positions
Get in Touch
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Lab Phone
Disclosures
Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.
MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.
Piro Lito discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
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AmMax Bio, Inc.
Professional Services and Activities -
Biotheryx, Inc.
Equity; Professional Services and Activities -
Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc.
Professional Services and Activities -
Boehringer Ingelheim
Professional Services and Activities -
Frontier Medicines Corporation
Equity; Professional Services and Activities -
Ikena Oncology
Equity; Professional Services and Activities
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Menarini Ricerche
Professional Services and Activities -
OrbiMed
Professional Services and Activities -
PAQ Therapeutics Inc.
Equity; Professional Services and Activities -
Repare Therapeutics
Professional Services and Activities -
Revolution Medicines
Professional Services and Activities
The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.
This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.
Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].