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Dear Colleagues,
As we step into 2025, I am delighted to reflect on the past year's remarkable progress and achievements at the Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics. Our collective efforts have significantly advanced our mission to integrate mathematical and computational approaches in cancer research.
Community Growth
Our Institute has grown to include approximately 110 researchers, with more than 40 core members across 13 Columbia departments and six universities worldwide.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Genevera Allen to the IICD as a core faculty member. Dr. Allen brings her expertise in developing statistical machine-learning tools aimed at making reliable and reproducible discoveries from large and complex datasets. Her expertise strengthens our interdisciplinary approach and research capabilities.
Research Highlights
Our researchers have made significant contributions to the field. The Azizi and Blumberg groups collaborated to develop CellStitch, a flexible and lightweight framework for 3D segmentation using optimal transport. Dr. Azizi’s team also introduced two new tools: DIISCO, a groundbreaking tool that enhances our understanding of dynamic intercellular interactions—particularly between cancer and immune cells—and Starfysh, an innovative computational tool designed to revolutionize the study of gene expression within tissues.
Dr. Jellert Gaublomme’s lab created CRISPRmap, an optical pooled screening approach that links the optical properties of single cells to targeted genetic perturbations, detailed in Nature Biotechnology. In a Cell publication, Dr. Brent Stockwell’s group identified a rare type of lipid as a key driver of ferroptosis, shedding light on the mechanisms of cell death during ferroptosis and offering insights into strategies to reduce its harmful effects.
The IICD has expanded its technological capabilities with two cutting-edge instruments: a Leica CM3050 S Research Cryostat, enabling the creation of ultra-thin tissue sections for highly precise analysis, and an Andor Dragonfly Confocal Microscope, a state-of-the-art tool for high-resolution visualization of cellular and tissue-level cancer biology.
Symposium Spotlight
This year, we hosted the highly successful Visualizing Science Symposium in collaboration with Columbia Creative. The event explored the intersection of art and science through innovative visual storytelling. It featured speakers from multiple disciplines and drew attendees from Columbia University and beyond.
The symposium was also made possible through the support of Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia's Italian Academy for Advanced Studies, Columbia University Data Science Institute, and Columbia Zuckerman Institute.
Educational and Outreach Initiatives
In the summer of 2024, we celebrated three years of our IICD Summer Research Program, hosting ten exceptional undergraduate students from universities across the US. Since its launch in 2022 with an inaugural cohort of five students, the SRP has welcomed 23 talented undergraduates who contributed to innovative projects such as spatial transcriptomics of tumor microenvironments and statistical modeling of cancer mutational signatures. The program’s impact is evident: 30% of alumni have graduated, and 54% are pursuing or planning to pursue advanced degrees. The program is currently accepting applications for the summer of 2025.
The Institute hosted five interns from the École Polytechnique through the Alliance program (up from one in previous years). The IICD also continued its partnership with the Mathematics department to support the Columbia Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences in Mathematical Modeling program and the GROW Columbia 2024.
Additionally, from July 8th to 12th, we held our inaugural five-day intensive workshop focusing on data integration and optimal transport methods. This no-cost workshop provided 14 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with morning lectures, hands-on problem sets in the afternoons, and guest lectures from leading experts, fostering collaboration and networking among participants.
Throughout the year, we continued to deliver an engaging seminar series featuring insights into the latest cancer research from leaders in mathematical and computational sciences. These events, accessible both in-person and virtually, engaged over 500 participants in the previous academic year (2023–2024) and have strengthened our global reach and community. The full lineup for our upcoming events can be found on our events page.
Awards and Recognitions
Our members have received numerous accolades this year. Drs. Genevera Allen and David Blei were selected to deliver an Institute of Mathematical Statistics Medallion Lecture. Dr. David Blei was also honored with the Lenfest Distinguished Faculty Award and the ACM - AAAI Allen Newell Award. Dr. Andrew Blumberg was awarded an NSF grant for his algebraic K-theory and equivariant stable homotopy theory project.
Dr. Ivan Corwin was named a Finalist for the 2024 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. Dr. Bianca Dumitrascu was recognized as a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar in the CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human program. Joy Fan was the recipient of an Avanessians Doctoral Fellowship. Dr. Scott Fraser was named the vice president of science grant programs at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Kevin Hoffer-Hawlik received the best poster award at the Probing Human Disease Using Single-Cell Technologies Conference. Cameron Park earned second place in the poster presentation at Columbia University’s 8th Annual Engineering in Medicine Symposium. Dr. Ben Raphael was named a 2024 ACM Fellow for his transformative contributions to computing science and technology.
Dr. Lingting Shi was the recipient of the Precision Oncology and Systems Biology Program Postdoctoral Pilot Award. Dr. Brent Stockwell received two awards for his contributions to cellular and metabolic research: the CDD Award by the European Cell Death Organization and the inaugural MetNet Pioneer in Metabolism Award. Dr. Ignacio Vazquez-Garcia was selected for the 2024 AACR NextGen Stars Program and will start his Assistant Professorship of Pathology at Harvard Medical School in January.
We are also proud to highlight the achievements of our mentees and alumni. Thomas Cong (high school mentee ’22) earned second place in Regeneron Science Talent Search. Hannah Khanshali (SRP’23) was the Salutatorian at the City College of New York graduation. Henry Kotkin (SRP ’23) received the ACS Columbus Section Award for Outstanding Senior Chemistry Major and the Kenyon Department of Chemistry Carl Djerassi Award.
Looking Ahead
As we look toward 2025, I am excited about the opportunities ahead and the continued growth of our Institute. We remain committed to advancing our mission through innovative research, impactful education programs, and meaningful collaborations.
I am immensely proud of our collective achievements and deeply grateful for the passion, dedication, and creativity of our community. Together, we continue to make significant strides in cancer research, education, and outreach. Thank you all for contributing to another remarkable year at IICD.
I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that 2025 will bring as we continue to advance our mission.
With warm regards and best wishes for the new year,
Simon Tavaré
Director, Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics
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