Colgate Professor and Students Publish Groundbreaking Paper on Cancer Gene KLF4 sliddell@colgate.edu Thu, 05/08/2025 - 11:05 Colgate University Professor of Biology Engda Hagos has once again made headlines not only for groundbreaking cancer research, but also for the collaborative spirit in which it was conducted. A recent publication in Current Issues in Molecular Biology, titled “Krüppel-like Factor 4-Deficient Cells Are Sensitive to Etoposide-Induced DNA Damage,” examines the role of the gene KLF4 in DNA repair and features five Colgate students and alumni as co-authors. For Hagos, the project was years in the making. “In my lab, we try to understand how genomic instability that happens due to the absence of KLF4, a gene that acts as a tumor suppressor, leads to cancer development,” Hagos said. His interest in KLF4 began with earlier studies, which revealed that cancer cells without the gene exhibited increased invasion and higher levels of DNA-damaging free radicals. These findings led Hagos and his students to explore KLF4’s role in DNA repair pathways, a complex process critical to preventing cancerous mutations. The team’s findings were striking: cells containing KLF4 were more capable of repairing DNA after being exposed to the chemotherapy drug Etoposide, suggesting the gene regulates repair-related mechanisms. “These findings provide insight into the DNA damage response and may help guide future therapeutic strategies,” Hagos said. The three-year study included Colgate alumni Elisabeth Pezzuto ’22, Patrick Wertimer ’23, Aidan Conroy ’23, Maxwell Rubinstein ’24, and current senior Hadeel Al Qoronz. Together, they navigated the intricacies of experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing, often repeating experiments several times to validate their findings. “Experiments don’t always work, and if they do, we need to repeat them many times before they’re ready for publication,” said Hagos. “But I enjoy the hard work, especially from bright young students who tirelessly pursue their goals.” Rubinstein, first author on the article, reflected on the experience with deep gratitude. “This research represents my growth as a student,” he said. “Even after graduation, Professor Hagos and I would spend hours on Zoom working on the paper. It was so rewarding to continue that mentorship.” Now working as an Associate Product Manager at Medline Industries, Rubinstein sees the publication as a culmination of his academic journey. Conroy, who worked on the project during his senior thesis, recalled maintaining cancer cell lines and performing Western blots to analyze DNA repair proteins. “Professor Hagos went above and beyond his duties,” Conroy said. “He pushed us to develop our own questions and hypotheses, cultivating independence while supporting us every step of the way.” Conroy will begin medical school at UMass Chan this summer. For Pezzuto, now a PhD candidate at the German Cancer Research Center, the collaboration was career-defining. “Before meeting Professor Hagos, I was uncertain about a future in science,” she said. “His mentorship pushed me to aim higher. This publication marks my first, and it feels like the launch of my scientific career.” The publication is also a capstone for Al Qoronz, who will graduate this May and hopes to attend dental school. Wertimer, who is set to begin a PhD in neuroscience at Stony Brook University and is currently a research assistant at Rockefeller University. This spring, three of Hagos’s current students — Megan Sullivan ’25, Nicole Rodgers ’25, and Cole Zeh ’25 — presented research at national conferences. They, along with Hagos, are co-authoring a new manuscript expected to be submitted by the end of the year. This study adds to a growing body of research on KLF4 and its role in maintaining genomic stability, but for Hagos and his team, the lasting impact is in the process itself: years of experiments, setbacks, revisions, and persistence. “Good research demands time and patience,” Hagos said. “But in the end, it is rewarding.” Since 2015, Hagos has published seven peer-reviewed articles with 35 Colgate student co-authors. “Colgate is a very unique place for me,” he said. “There are not many other liberal arts colleges that do what we do, and I feel very happy and blessed that I found a place and job where every single day I am excited to come to work.” Academics Natural Sciences and Mathematics Faculty News Research Alumni News and Updates Alumni Faculty & Staff Student Department of Biology Professor of Biology Engda Hagos (Photo by Mark DiOrio)

Sandra Hsu Hnin Mon ’12 Receives NIH Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship mniedt@colgate.edu Wed, 05/07/2025 - 14:44 Sandra Hsu Hnin Mon ’12 has been named as a recipient of the National Institutes of Health Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship (NIAID IARF). She is also an NIH Oxford-Cambridge scholar. The Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship is designed to advance the NIH’s cross-disciplinary research into HIV and AIDS. The program recruits graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from all scientific disciplines to the broad field of AIDS research and provides a funding opportunity for intramural fellows whose work can be directly related to HIV and AIDS. Mon, an international student from Myanmar, majored in molecular biology and was a mentee of Professor of Biology Geoffrey Holm, whose research focuses on mammalian reoviruses. “I knew I wanted to do health-related work back in Myanmar/Southeast Asia,” Mon says. “But thought the only way to do so was via med school. This rapidly changed when I took Prof. Holm’s CORE Outbreaks class, which exposed me to the incredible field of infectious disease epidemiology. He helped me understand how my Colgate training falls in line with a career in public health.” In addition to her student research with Holm, Mon held leadership roles in Colgate’s international community. She also served as a CL and often collaborated with the ALANA Cultural Center. After graduating from Colgate, Mon wanted to gain work experience in molecular research and epidemiology before applying to PhD programs. She worked in a malaria lab for two years — further training as a bench scientist and her first major experience working with the Department of Medical Research in the Myanmar Ministry of Health. Mon then pursued a master of science in public health, focusing on global disease epidemiology and control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. There, she was able to hone her passion for global epidemiology research and receive a certification in humanitarian health. Mon’s practicum focused on implementation science, which brought her back to Myanmar and Thailand for community-based HIV research. Between her master’s and doctoral studies, Mon continued to work in Myanmar and Thailand with the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights. She connected with marginalized populations across global settings and expanded her research to the health impacts of humanitarian conflict. She also gained experience in grant writing, another skill that helped her become an NIH Ox-Cam scholar and NIAID IARF fellow. After her PhD, Mon wants to apply to postdoctoral positions that could give her additional opportunities to build upon her current doctoral project. She is also considering policy-related opportunities, such as the Science & Technology Policy Fellowships through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Ultimately, Mon wants to pursue a career at the intersection of epidemiologic research and health policy, To learn more about the NIAID IARF, the NIH Ox-Cam Scholarship, or other competitive awards, reach out to Meghan Niedt, mniedt@colgate.edu, in the Office of National Fellowships and Scholarships to schedule an appointment. Academics Natural Sciences and Mathematics Alumni Outcomes News and Updates Alumni Department of Biology Sandra Hsu Hnin Mon ’12

In honor of Colgate’s Bicentennial year, the Picker Art Gallery is hosting a special traveling exhibition, Koolanga Boodja Neh Nidjuuk (Children Looking and Listening on Country), through June 30. The post Repatriation and Reconciliation: The Carrolup Artworks Return to Colgate first appeared on Colgate University News.

Grafters X Change: Branches and Networks brought together Colgate and local community members, eco-artists, and activists to foster creative community resiliency. The post Grafters X Change Builds Community Resiliency first appeared on Colgate University News.