IICD Research Highlights for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month—a time to reflect on the patients and families impacted by breast cancer, and to recognize the scientific advances shaping our understanding and treatment of this complex disease. At the Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics (IICD), Columbia researchers are leading the way in uncovering the hidden dynamics of the breast tumor microenvironment and developing computational tools to drive new breakthroughs.
A recent advance from the Azizi Lab stands at the forefront of this effort. As Dr. Elham Azizi shares, “Our lab recently developed Starfysh, a framework that integrates spatial transcriptomic and histologic data to reveal immune hubs in the tumor microenvironment. Using this approach, we identified immunosuppressive niches in aggressive breast cancers—regions where tumor cells orchestrate local immune evasion, limiting the effectiveness of natural anti-tumor defenses and therapies.”
Building on this innovation, the Azizi Lab recently introduced AMICI, an interpretable attention-based model that adaptively learns how individual cells communicate across distances in tissue. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on rigid definitions of neighborhoods, AMICI can pinpoint which sender–receiver cell subpopulations interact, over what spatial scale, and which downstream transcriptional programs they trigger. Applied to breast cancer, AMICI uncovered how immune–tumor interactions reinforce estrogen receptor programs, providing new insight into mechanisms of therapy resistance and opening doors to more precise therapeutic interventions.
“Together, these tools highlight how cutting-edge computational methods can illuminate the hidden dynamics of the breast tumor microenvironment—moving us closer to treatments that are as adaptive and multifaceted as the disease itself,” says Dr. Azizi.
Collaboration at IICD is exemplified by the partnership between the Azizi and McFaline-Figueroa labs, whose teams are working together to unravel the complexities of breast tumor biology. By combining advanced spatial genomics and single-cell technologies, the labs are investigating how breast tumors evolve, adapt, and evade immune detection. This close collaboration enables a deeper understanding of tumor heterogeneity and resistance mechanisms, laying the groundwork for research that bridges computational discoveries with translational impact, accelerating progress in the fight against breast cancer.
Adding to these collaborative efforts, the Gaublomme Lab is pioneering new experimental approaches to study gene function in breast cancer. Their recently developed optical pooled screening platform, CRISPRmap, allows for high-throughput genetic screening in tissue, making it possible to map how genetic mutations influence cell behavior, immune responses, and DNA repair processes within the tumor microenvironment. By applying CRISPRmap to breast cancer models, the Gaublomme Lab is uncovering how specific gene variants may impact therapy response and resistance. This innovative work, in conjunction with cross-lab partnerships at IICD, is expanding our understanding of breast cancer biology and paving the way for personalized treatment strategies.
As we honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month, IICD remains dedicated to supporting pioneering research and the scientists who are transforming our understanding of cancer. Through advanced computational frameworks, cross-lab collaboration, and an unwavering focus on patient impact, our community continues to drive progress toward more effective and personalized breast cancer therapies.