Email

atreyi.dasgupta@bcm.edu

Positions

Instructor

Pediatrics
Hematology/Oncology
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

Addresses

Baylor College of Medicine / Texas Children’s Cancer & Hematology Ctrs (Lab)

Feigin Ctr., Ste.1070.07 (lab), Room 1240.06 (office)
Houston, TX 77030
United States

Education

PhD from Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH

Postdoctoral Fellowship at Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, OH

Postdoctoral Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, TX

Professional Interests

• Pediatric Sarcoma
• Metastasis
• Cell Signaling
• Exosomal communication

Professional Statement

I am a cancer biologist trained in cell signaling and transcriptional regulation. My research focuses on bone cancer in children, particularly Ewing Sarcoma, which is the second most prevalent type of pediatric bone cancer. Each year, around 250 patients in the US are diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. Among these patients, those who present with metastatic disease have a very dismal 5 year survival rate - around 25% - even after a harsh therapy regimen. My research is motivated by this tragic statistic. I am part of the bone tumor research program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, the largest and most comprehensive center of its type in the nation. Here, together with patients, parents, and clinicians, my role as a scientist is to strive toward bridging basic research with the therapeutic needs of children with Ewing Sarcoma. In the lab, we are currently working with novel model systems using patient derived tumors grown in mice and unique metastatic cell lines that we have developed. Our research is driven by questions like: What destines a cancer cell (or cluster of cells) to a particular distal organ? How are the normal cells in that organ ultimately recruited by the cancer cells for their own growth? What mediates this communication between different cell types? A deeper understanding of these questions can help us find critical molecules and pathways to target. Ultimately, our goal is to translate our research into therapeutic interventions in clinical settings and bridge the critical gap for children with metastatic Ewing Sarcoma.

Websites

Selected Publications

• Atreyi Dasgupta, Lyazat Kurenbekova, Tajhal D Patel, Kimal Rajapakshe, Gargi Ghosal, Bikesh Nirala, Cristian Coarfa, Jason Yustein "Modeling Ewing Sarcoma Lung Metastasis." Curr Protoc.. 2023 Feb;3(2)
• Dasgupta A, Sierra L, Tsang SV, Kurenbekova L, Patel T, Rajapakse K, Shuck RL, Rainusso N, Landesman Y, Unger T, Coarfa C, Yustein JT. "Targeting PAK4 Inhibits Ras-Mediated Signaling and Multiple Oncogenic Pathways in High-Risk Rhabdomyosarcoma.." Cancer Res.. 2021 Jan 1;81(1):199-212.
• Shapiro MC, Tang T, Dasgupta A, Kurenbekova L, Shuck R, Gaber MW, Yustein JT. "In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of a Preclinical Irradiation-Adapted Model for Ewing Sarcoma.." Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2018 May 1;101(1):118-127.
• Dasgupta A, Trucco M, Rainusso N, Bernardi RJ, Shuck R, Kurenbekova L, Loeb DM, Yustein JT. "Metabolic modulation of Ewing sarcoma cells inhibits tumor growth and stem cell properties." Oncotarget. 2017 Aug 24;8(44):77292-77308.

Memberships

American Association of Cancer Research

(08/2022)

Sarcoma Foundation of America

(06/2022)

Metastasis Research Society

(08/2022)

Funding

Characterization and Targeting the CXCR2-STAT-1/3 Axis in Metastatic Ewing Sarcoma - #R21CA260331

(02/04/2021 - 03/31/2023) NIH/NCI

PI

Role of Tumor Derived Extracellular Vesicles in the Preparation of Lung Metastatic Niche in Ewing Sarcoma.

(07/01/2023 - 06/30/2024) Grant funding from Rally's Collaborative Pediatric Cancer Research Awards Program

PI