Riz Haq MD PhD

Melanoma physician-scientist @DanaFarber Asst Prof @harvardmed. Graduate @OslerResidency @UofTMDprogram. views are my own.

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

We're hiring post-docs and research technicians! Contact me if you're interested in joining our team.

[Dana-Farber News @DanaFarberNews]

New research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by @DanaFarber’s Rizwan Haq, MD, PhD, identifies a regulator that recruits active Gα proteins to the endolysosomal compartment via an evolutionarily conserved motif shared across multiple Gα proteins. These findings define a spatial vulnerability with broad therapeutic relevance for diseases driven by dysregulated G-protein signaling, including the vast majority of uveal melanomas. Read more here: https://t.co/IHpQmFGi1A

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

1/2 Thrilled to report our latest study, published now at PNAS: https://t.co/6qSn75pi6O. In this study, we find that GPCR signaling isn't just a plasma-membrane event — active Gα proteins get shuttled to the endolysosomal compartment by AP-3, using an ancient conserved motif.

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

2/2 Blocking this trafficking halts tumor growth & metastasis in uveal melanoma, where oncogenic Gα mutations drive disease. A new "spatial vulnerability" in G-protein signaling. Thanks to our collaborators Mikel Garcia-Marcos and @kaelin_lab.

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

Thank you to the Isaacson's for the generous support of this ocular melanoma fellowship! https://t.co/kcQmfyKmkd

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

@Abbeyandsmokey Thank you!

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

We’re hiring post-docs! Join our lab on projects involving immunotherapy and therapy resistance and metastasis in cutaneous and uveal melanoma. Please DM if interested!

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

5/The project was only possible because of collaboration with the Van Allen lab, talented co-first authors Julia Schiantarelli, Mouadh Benamar, Jihye Park. I am also grateful to patients who donated biopsy material and funding sources, including @MelanomaReAlli @DanaFarberNews

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

4/and a reduced capacity to activate cytotoxic T cells.

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

3/Strikingly, we found resistance-associated mutations in SEC24C and SEC24D in 3 patients. Melanoma cells engineered to express the SEC24C mutations observed in patients exhibit diminished STING signaling, including decreased Type I interferon production, antigen presentation

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

2/Over several years, we collected matched pre-treatment and post-resistance tumor biopsies in patients with metastatic melanoma who exhibited heterogeneous ICI responses to nominate additional mediators of acquired resistance.

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

1/Although some patients with metastatic melanoma experience durable responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors, most exhibit intrinsic or acquired resistance to these therapies.

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

Our paper on a new mechanism of resistance to immunotherapy in melanoma is now in print @Cancer_Cell with the Van Allen lab @VanAllenLab
https://t.co/TCC4brc6yb
Details of the paper below

[Elizabeth McKenna @ElizSMcKenna]

Now online in @CD_AACR: A Next-Gen #BRAF Inhibitor Overcomes Resistance to BRAF Inhibition in Patients w/BRAF-Mutant Cancers Using Pharmacokinetics-Informed Dose Escalation - by @RonaYaeger, S. Michael Rothenberg, et al. https://t.co/lSGqmAeuwy @MSKCancerCenter @PfizerOncMed

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

@MRFCureOM @DanaFarber Thank you to the MRF and CURE OM in organizing an amazing event that catalyzes the fight against this disease. We are grateful for your support!

[CURE Ocular Melanoma @MRFCureOM]

For #ScienceSunday, Dr. Haq from @DanaFarber & one of the recipients of our inaugural Options Bring Hope Team award, speaks with our attendees about his award winning research titled “Identification of Molecular pathways that drive uveal melanoma Metastasis.” #EyeGetDilated #OM

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

Hope you can join us. Should be a great event for uveal melanoma patients and their families/caregivers. https://t.co/KHNgMq6AuQ

[CURE Ocular Melanoma @MRFCureOM]

A special thank you to our partners,@DanaFarber, @MassEyeAndEar, @MassGeneralNews & @TuftsMedicalCtr for collaborating w/ us for this year’s event. Register today so that you can join us for informative sessions around #OM treatment, diagnosis & more -https://t.co/U7TCL8IgnD

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

@CureMelanoma @DanaFarber @MassEyeAndEar Thank you to CURE OM and the Zubeck and Miller families for supporting this work! We hope that this work will make a difference in our efforts to treat this disease more effectively!
@DanaFarberNews

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

@MRFCureOM Thank you to CURE OM and the Zubeck and Miller families for supporting this work! We hope that this work will make a difference in our efforts to treat this disease more effectively! @DanaFarberNews

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

@WeillCornell @WCM_MeyerCancer Congrats!

[Riz Haq MD PhD @rhaq1]

@CarolineMvz @JoanMonte @CampusClinicUB Thank you! It was a honor to be able to share our work!