Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD

Multidisciplinary cancer research expert. Asst. Professor @CityUHongKong. Board of Directors @cancerandcrisis. Young Advisory Board Member @ChemBioChem.

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Combination treatment with targeted therapies consistently shows better survival outcomes compared to standard chemotherapy regimens.
Every new treatment regimen that demonstrates improved efficacy offers real and tangible hope to patients currently fighting the disease.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

New hope for BRAF V600E mCRC patients: BREAKWATER shows EC+mFOLFOX6 nearly doubles survival vs. standard chemo.
A potential new first-line standard for this high-risk population.
Link in comments 👇
#mCRC #BRAF #ClinicalTrials #Oncology

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Check this out if you didn’t see our last post about an AI-powered platinum anticancer drug, PlatinAI. The preprint is available on ChemRxiv.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Reminder: Our preprint “Overcoming Cisplatin Resistance via Deep Learning–Assisted Design of Platinum Complexes” is live on ChemRxiv!
We designed PlatinAI—a platinum complex active against cisplatin-resistant cells via a non-DNA-binding mechanism.
Link in comments
#AI #Oncology

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

We’re all exploring new areas for applying AI tools and expect them to already serve as primary assistants, both in solving basic tasks and in accelerating more complex problem-solving, potentially becoming the foundation for a new qualitative leap in the advancement of science.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

ChemBench: Testing AI vs. Human Chemists 🤖🧪🧑‍🔬
An open-source benchmark designed to evaluate how well LLMs understand chemistry compared to human experts. Spoiler alert: human chemists still hold advantages in certain problem-solving areas.
Link in comments 👇

#Chemistry #AI

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Nowadays, immunotherapy combined with standard treatment protocols shows better outcomes in treating various types of cancer. It is encouraging that another group of patients with HNSCC now has the opportunity to receive more effective treatment.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

🏥 New hope for better long-term outcomes in HNSCC!
KEYNOTE-689: Pembrolizumab before and after surgery improves progression-free survival & overall outcomes in HNSCC patients compared to standard treatment.
Link in comments
#oncology #immunotherapy #HNSCC #clinicaltrials

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

AI tools are becoming essential in drug development, specifically in metallodrug discovery. I hope our study will help accelerate the discovery of new platinum-based drugs with reduced side effects and improved outcomes for patients.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

👩‍🔬 We trained a deep learning model to create a new platinum complex. It works.
Our latest research, “Overcoming Cisplatin Resistance via Deep Learning–Assisted De Novo Design of Platinum Complexes,” is now live on ChemRxiv!
Link in comments 👇
#AI #Oncology #Metallodrugs

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Another chapter comes to a close as we bid farewell to a cherished colleague. I send Raja my warmest wishes for success in all his future endeavors and will fondly remember our time working together. He’ll always be a valued part of our diverse team.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

We gathered to say farewell to our amazing postdoctoral fellow, Raja, sending him off with spices, stories, and a whole lot of heart. 🌶️💬💛
Raja, we'll miss you and can’t wait to see where your path leads next! 🚀🌍
#Graduation #StudentLife #CareerJourney

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

This review highlights a key trend in medicine: personalized treatment that considers individual differences in diet, microbiome, immunity, and genetics.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Iron and the Gut Microbiome: A Delicate Balance with Clinical Implications
Iron is a key regulator of host–microbiome ecology and immune-metabolic balance.
Exciting work in Nature Microbiology.
Full article link in comments 👇
#Microbiome #IronMetabolism #Immunology

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

I dare to hope that malaria will soon become a dreadful disease of the past, one that is finally under control in the global fight against infectious disease.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

🧪New data support monoclonal antibodies as next-gen malaria prevention.
CIS43LS is the first mAb to show high efficacy in a real-world malaria-endemic setting proven in a Phase 2 trial in Mali.
Link in comments
#ClinicalTrials #InfectiousDiseases #MonoclonalAntibodies

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

I'm very proud that our outstanding colleague had the opportunity to address such a critical topic among leading oncology experts. Sadly, support from the medical community is needed not only to fight disease, but also to ensure access to advanced therapies.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Honored to share that our lab member, Dr. Jemma Arakelyan (@JArakelyan28092), CEO, Institute of Cancer and Crisis, spoke at #ASCO2025 in Chicago—addressing the impact of conflict on cancer care and the urgent need for innovation in crisis-affected regions.
#ASCO2025 #CancerCare

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

No doubt, AI is already assisting in many aspects of our daily lives. Integrating AI into clinical decision-making could significantly accelerate data processing, enabling doctors to analyze complex data faster and arrive at the best treatment options more quickly.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Smarter Cancer Decisions with AI GPT-4–based
🎯 Accuracy boost: 30.3% → 87.2% with multimodal tools (such as Vision Transformer, MedSAM, PubMed, OncoKB).
Is AI + domain-specific tools the future of precision oncology?
Link in comments
#Oncology #AI #GPT4 #HealthTech

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

The new results in SCLC treatment are notable. Tarlatamab represents another valuable option for patients facing limited choices.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Tarlatamab shows superior outcomes in relapsed SCLC

In the phase 3 DeLLphi-304 trial, Tarlatamab significantly improved overall survival and reduced severe AE compared to chemotherapy in relapsed SCLC after platinum-based treatment.

Link in comments

#ClinicalTrials #SCLC

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Working with Chris, Ho-jung, and Maryana has been a real pleasure. You brought not only knowledge, but heart to our team — and you’ll truly be missed.
I’m proud of who you’ve become and excited for all that lies ahead. The door is always open — you’ll always be part of our story.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Amid busy, fulfilling days, we paused to say farewell to Chris Fung, Ho-jung Choe & Maryana Yarshova.
Hot pot, mahjong & shared laughter made it a night to remember.
We’re proud to have walked this path with you. Here's to the road ahead 🌟
#Graduation #StudentLife #CareerJourney

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Falling Walls Lab is a truly inspiring competition!
Winning the Vienna Lab in 2012 was one of the most energizing moments of my academic journey.
Back then, there were only 6 qualifying Labs — today, there are 74 Labs and over 1,000 pitches worldwide!

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

🎉 Congratulations to Pikting Izzy Cheung on this remarkable achievement!

We are delighted to announce that Pikting Izzy Cheung, a student at the University at Albany, SUNY, has been selected as the winner of this year’s Falling Walls Lab — a global pitch competition that empowers emerging innovators to present groundbreaking ideas in just 3 minutes.

She was chosen by an expert jury including:
🔹Mrs. Stefanie Seedig – Deputy Consul General of Germany in Hong Kong
🔹Ms. Melanie Späthe – DAAD Lecturer at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou
🔹Dr.Tiejun Meng – Chief Technology Officer at SpinQ Technology
🔹Dr. Karlis Rokpelnis – China Country Representative for EURAXESS China
🔹Dr. Violeta N. Ivanova-Rohling – Research Scientist at the University of Konstanz, Germany
🔹Prof. Ruiqin Zhang – Chair Professor in the Department of Physics at City University of Hong Kong
🔹Dr. Yuanyuan Zhao – Research Scientist at the Quantum Science Center of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
🔹Prof. Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD – Head of the Drug Discovery Laboratory at City University of Hong Kong 🔗https://t.co/DY6hg2h2YF

As the winner, Pikting Izzy Cheung will travel to Berlin, Germany, to attend the prestigious global finale of the Falling Walls Lab сompetition, where she will join some of the brightest minds from around the world.

We congratulate Pikting Izzy Cheung on this remarkable achievement and look forward to seeing her break new walls on the international stage!

#FallingWallsLab #GlobalInnovation #ScienceSummit #Research

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Fascinating work in Science Advances!
Some Gram-negative bacteria like E. coli and Pseudomonas don’t make PQQ — they steal it using PqqU. And once it’s in? The door slams shut, blocking phages.
Nutrient grab + defense in one move. A smart system — and a tempting drug target.

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

🦠 Block nutrients, block infection: a new antimicrobial strategy emerges. Fascinating work in Science Advances!

Full article link in comments 👇

#Microbiology #LifeSciences #AntibioticResistance #ScientificResearch

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

A new monthly digest has been released by @Babaklab. Go check out what the fuzz is about! 👀

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Don't miss the unique opportunity to get the latest updates from the Babak Lab! ✍️
📌Click and follow for more:
https://t.co/gxcCsYEQzJ

[OncoDaily @oncodaily]

Another important figure we should celebrate this Women's History Month is Dr. Mary Claire King - @babak_phd

https://t.co/iCchKHQn4Y

#oncodaily #oncology #cancer #WomensHistoryMonth #WomenInSTEM #WomenInScience #research #cancergenetics #BRCA1 #BRCA2 #breastcancer

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

This is concerning: Stigma and cost prevent 1/3 of individuals from accessing their mental health services.

Removing stigma is essential if we want to provide accessible mental wellness services.

#EndTheStigma #MentalHealthCare

https://t.co/Eiu95XBluQ

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

Have you tried these tools for researchers? 🛠️

👉🏻 https://t.co/b2znrthIZ2 for stunning presentations
👉🏻 Notion for organizing workspaces
👉🏻 Sembly for meeting summaries
👉🏻 Genei for rapid research
👉🏻 Heap & Smartlook for user insights

#ProductivityTools #AcademicTech

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

#Flashbackfriday In July 2023, I had the honour of being an invited speaker and presenting my work on anticancer gold complexes at the 20th International Conference on Biological Inorganic Chemistry, organized by Prof. Hugh Harris.

#ICBIC20 #SciFriendsForever

[Maria (Masha) Babak, PhD @babak_phd]

We're honoring another icon, not just in oncology but also in diversity. 💐

[The Babak Lab HK @Babaklab]

Celebrating #WomensHistoryMonth by honoring Dr. Jane Cooke Wright, an oncology pioneer who transformed chemotherapy research. Her work exemplifies the impact of diversity in medicine. 🌟

#HealthcareHeroes #OncologyInnovation #WomenInMedicine