Dr. Marc Mendillo’s research is focused on an alternative anti-cancer strategy, defining the non-oncogene addictions of breast cancer cells, or the nonessential pathways that become essential in the context of breast malignancies and drug treatment. His research group has made a fundamental insight into one of these “non-oncogene addictions,” the dependence of cancer cells on the cellular stress response systems know collectively as the protein homeostasis network. His laboratory demonstrates how breast cancers depend on this ancient protective network for tumor progression, metastasis, and drug resistance.

As a Lynn Sage Scholar, Dr. Mendillo is investigating how to exploit an ancient regulator of the cellular stress response network, its role as an effective anti-breast cancer target and how to specifically target this particularly aggressive class of tumors. He bridges biochemistry, genetic, and chemical biology disciplines to identify new approaches to diagnose and treat breast cancer.

Dr. Mendillo joined Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2015 as an assistant professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. After receiving his doctorate from the University of California, San Diego, he completed fellowships at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and at the Whitehead Institute at MIT.