DiFeo Lab Recognized with Outstanding Journal Article Award
By Lynn McCain | May 5
The Molecular and Cancer Therapeutics journal recently awarded Dr. Analisa DiFeo, professor, with their annual Outstanding Journal Article Award for 2025 for her article “Small Molecule Mediated Stabilization of PP2A Modulates the Homologous Recombination Pathway and Potentiates DNA Damage Induced Cell Death.” The journal editors select the best article published over the previous two years, focusing on “articles that have the potential to shift paradigms, inspire translational activity, and raise awareness of new scientific areas.” Articles that exhibit novelty, scientific merit, and impact are prioritized.
DiFeo’s article highlighted her lab’s research into novel therapeutics for high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), often caused by BRCA1/2 mutations. She uncovered a cause for relapse after effective PARP inhibitor (PARPi) therapies - the loss of PP2A, a protein phosphatase. Her laboratory discovered that PP2A regulates homologous recombination (HR) defects, and that small-molecule activator of protein phosphatase-061 (SMAP-061) stabilizes PP2A by targeting RAD51. This leads to an accumulation of DNA damage in the cancer cells, causing their death. Her key finding was that PP2A modulators have the potential to overcome PARPi insensitivity, given that targeting RAD51 presents benefits in overcoming PARPi resistance driven by BRCA1/2 mutation reversions.
DiFeo expressed her gratitude saying, “I feel incredibly honored and deeply grateful to MCT for this recognition, and to all my amazing collaborators and co-authors who made this work possible.”
As the award recipient, DiFeo will be invited to the journal’s reception at the AACR annual meeting, receive a cash prize of $1500, and an award certificate. Please join us in congratulating Dr. DiFeo and her laboratory for this recognition of their outstanding work!
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