Department of Biological Science

Biological Science Faculty Member

Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Brown University, 2005
Graduate Faculty Status

Research and Professional Interests:

The revolution in genome sequencing has provided unprecedented access to the genetic complexity and diversity of tumors, opening the door to new, more personalized approaches in cancer treatment.  As our understanding of tumor genome landscapes becomes more sophisticated, there is an increasingly urgent need for experimental models that allow a comprehensive functional interrogation of this genomic information. My laboratory takes a novel and innovative approach to studying colorectal cancer by combining latest advances in cancer genomics with classical Drosophila genetics and high-throughput drug screening. 

Current reasearch interests include:
  -- building, studying and drug-screening genetically complex, tumor-genome based Drosophila models 

  -- developing new genetic tools and strategies to build more sophisticated models 

  -- using sophisticated genetic tools available in Drosophila to explore drug mechanisms of action and resistance 

Selected Publications:

(2019) A Drosophila Based Cancer Drug Discovery Framework. 

Bangi E.

Adv Exp Med Biol. 1167:237-248. Review.  doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-23629-8_14.

(2019) A personalized platform identifies trametinib plus zoledronate for a patient with KRAS-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer.
Bangi E, Ang C, Smibert P, Uzilov AV, Teague AG, Antipin Y, Chen R, Hecht C, Gruszczynski N, Yon WJ, Malyshev D, Laspina D, Selkridge I, Rainey H, Moe AS, Lau CY, Taik P, Wilck E, Bhardwaj A, Sung M, Kim S, Yum K, Sebra R, Donovan M, Misiukiewicz K, Schadt EE, Posner MR, Cagan RL.

Sci Adv. May 22;5(5):eaav6528. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aav6528.

(2016) Functional exploration of colorectal cancer genomes using Drosophila.

Bangi E, Murgia C, Teague AG, Sansom OJ, Cagan RL.

Nat Commun. Nov 29;7:13615. doi: 10.1038/ncomms13615.

(2013) Drosophila at the intersection of infection, inflammation, and cancer.
Bangi E.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. Dec 19;3:103. Review doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00103.

(2012) Immune response to bacteria induces dissemination of Ras-activated Drosophila hindgut cells.

Bangi E, Pitsouli C, Rahme LG, Cagan R, Apidianakis Y.

EMBO Rep. Jun 1;13(6):569-76. doi: 10.1038/embor.2012.44.