Ethan

Ethan
Boston Latin School
Boston, MA

Mentor:
Abeer Sayeed
Cancer Program 

Personalized medicine is the holy grail of cancer therapeutics. The primary goal of the Broad’s Cancer Cell Line Factory is to develop patient derived cancer cell lines that recapitulate the genetics of the original tumor. Ethan worked on NUT Midline Carcinoma, a rare pediatric cancer. He analyzed the growth rate and morphologies of these cancer cells in different culture conditions using a continuous live-cell imaging and analysis software. Employing molecular techniques, Ethan examined the presence of a genetic feature unique to this cancer subtype. The group hopes to use his findings to identify the optimal culture conditions for this rare cancer, while maintaining the original tumor’s genetic profile.

Ethan enjoyed being immersed in an environment where everyone was passionate about their research and working on really interesting projects. “This summer definitely influenced me to continue to study science in college. It has also motivated me to stay informed and to gain more knowledge about some specific scientific topics,” said Ethan. He plans to pursue other research opportunities in the future.