Heankel Lyons

Heankel Lyons is interested in understanding how unique mechanisms of gene regulation make some cells resilient and others selectively vulnerable to disease. In her graduate work with Dr. Ben Sabari at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Heankel demonstrated how disordered protein regions are hijacked in cancer to selectively organize the machinery that activates our genes in ways that help cancer cells thrive. Paradoxically, many of these disordered proteins are also the source of devastating neurodegenerative diseases as seen in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Now, in Aaron Gitler’s lab at Stanford University, Heankel is investigating how motor neurons harness these disordered proteins to regulate gene expression, and how these unique mechanisms of gene regulation may render motor neurons selectively vulnerable in ALS.

Faculty Mentor: Aaron Gitler