Undergraduate Student

Teagan will work in the Walensky laboratory at the Dana-Farber Longwood Center as part of an Awarded ALSF POST grant.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS, and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.  

This summer (5/26/26-8/21/26), Teagan will contribute to an innovative project in my laboratory investigating fatty acid oxidation (FAO) as a metabolic vulnerability in pediatric cancers, focusing specifically on an interaction between the anti-apoptotic protein MCL-1 and the mitochondrial FAO enzyme VLCAD. A study from our group previously showed that the BH3 helix of MCL-1 directly binds and modulates VLCAD, altering long-chain fatty acid metabolism and supporting cancer cell fitness. Building upon this discovery, and our broader finding that MCL-1 enforces FAO dependency in hematologic malignancies, Teagan’s project will involve the synthesis of stapled peptides derived from the MCL-1 BH3 region to optimize selective engagement of VLCAD. She will evaluate these peptides through in vitro binding assays, proteolytic stability measurements, and enzymatic
activity assessments, followed by testing in cell lysates to measure target engagement. The overarching goal is to identify lead stapled peptide candidates capable of selectively modulating FAO by disrupting the MCL-1-VLCAD regulatory axis, thereby generating new tools to target this potential metabolic vulnerability in pediatric cancers.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are committed to having faculty and staff who offer multifaceted experiences. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and compassionate professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.