Matt Sikora
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mjsikora.bsky.social
Matt Sikora
@mjsikora.bsky.social
1.8K followers 680 following 280 posts
Assoc Prof at CU Anschutz, Cancer biologist, focus on #lobular breast cancer and gyn cancers, estrogen receptor pharmacology, and basic mechs in cancer disparities. Posts are my own. He/Him.
www.sikoralab.com
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mjsikora.bsky.social
For Halloween, the Sikora Lab is excited to announce the release of the debut self-titled album from **MITOTIC CATASTROPHE** with chart topping hits:
- Pour Some Agar on Me
- You Give Science a Bad Name
- Sweet Graph 'o Mine
- We're Not Gonna Fake it
- Welcome to the Data
- Back in Lab

Rock on!!!
Lab members dressed as an 80's hair metal band for Halloween Lab members dressed as an 80's hair metal band for Halloween Lab members dressed as an 80's hair metal band for Halloween
October 30, 2025 at 8:28 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
This is going to be the most unhinged well-being survey ever.
Email introduction reading: "At the University of Colorado School of Medicine, your well-being is a top priority. To better support you, we need your insight. We invite you to take 10–15 minutes to complete the Faculty Well-Being & Climate Survey. Your feedback will directly shape efforts to improve the work environment and professional well-being across the School of Medicine."
October 1, 2025 at 4:25 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Congrats to Early Investigator Awardee Dr. Matt Taves! Continuing a recent tradition of @nrimpact.bsky.social members on the next gen star stage 💫
@endocrinesociety.bsky.social
Matt Taves at the podium
July 13, 2025 at 5:30 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Huge congrats to Early Investigator Awardee @quinascience.bsky.social! So pleased that someone so dedicated to @endocrinesociety.bsky.social is being recognized as a star in our field. #ENDO2025
Dequina Nicholas at the podium.
July 13, 2025 at 5:21 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
After a day with our Early Career Forum attendees yesterday, Inga Harbuz-Miller and I realize that we're still trainees at heart ❤️

#ENDO2025
Credit @lmfendo.bsky.social for the photo and pose 😆
Matt Sikora and Inga Harbuz-Miller with a placard word bubble that says "Trainee today, trailblazer tomorrow".
July 12, 2025 at 6:02 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
If you're wondering, yes, @endocrinesociety.bsky.social will use your pictures for promo material 😂 #ENDO2025

Pretty cool to have @nrimpact.bsky.social folks featured:
@profriggins.bsky.social
@zmadake2.bsky.social
@ayeshashafi.bsky.social
@cittellylab.bsky.social
Drs Cordoba-Chacon & Treviño
Photo of promotional displays, with a picture from the ENDO2024 poster session Photo of the video banner over the registration booths, includes a photo from ENDO2024 of a group of faculty from the NR IMPACT group
July 12, 2025 at 5:54 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Hopefully both versions of the document are counted, but the prior comments are still there. I was able to find my own from 5/21.
Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service - A Proposed Rule by the Personnel Management Office on 04/23/2025
June 3, 2025 at 3:00 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
What do you think would happen if we reported RFK Jr and Bhattacharya for "harassment, fraud, grant scams, research misconduct, peer review violations, or foreign interference"?
Screenshot of an NIH misconduct reporting website and form.
June 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Histology DOES matter in breast cancer biology! Really excited for #lobular to be featured at #AACR25 and to share the stage with Drs. Steffi Oesterreich and Christina Curtis.
April 28, 2025 at 5:05 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Made it to AACR! This is my 20 year anniv of membership, w/ my first meeting in 2005 as an undergrad Bardos Scholar.

On Monday I'll be speaking in #lobular breast cancer session -
eppro02.ativ.me/appinfo.php?...

Kicking off #AACR25 on the cancer disparities track!

@theaacr.bsky.social
Matt in front of the cover slide reading 'Social determinants of health and cancer outcomes: from the sidewalk to the bench and back again".
April 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
hhahahahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *weeps*
Weekly NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices for April 04, 2025. 'Funding opportunities' section reads 'none'.
April 4, 2025 at 7:49 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA We're all pretty goddamn aware about stress right now, don't need any reminders, thanks. I am also all good on recognizing, 100% certain of where the stress is coming from.
Campus email for National Stress Awareness Month
April 1, 2025 at 8:57 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Guidance from the @cuanschutz.bsky.social SOM Dean's Office today.... 🫠

I do appreciate the FAQ page though, which multiple times does explicitly say to continue research activities.

research.cuanschutz.edu/news_events/...
Grants. Keep working on your grant applications. As Cathy Bradley, PhD, Dean of the Colorado School of Public Health, said during a campus leadership call last Thursday, “No grant has ever been awarded unless it was submitted.” Federal actions could cause delays, but we also shouldn’t give up without trying. When there are grant deadlines, let’s keep pushing forward to meet them. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research has posted a helpful FAQ page.
March 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Forgot to add the chocolate chips before scooping... and maybe the dough was a bit warm. But my wife says they look like something Cookie Monster would approve of 😅
February 15, 2025 at 4:03 AM
mjsikora.bsky.social
heyyyy @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social, something is broken.
bioRxiv search results stating "No Results found for term cancer"
January 21, 2025 at 11:02 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Cool highlight from @theaacr.bsky.social journal Cancer Research Communications!

Our study on WNT4 regulation of metabolism in #lobular breast cancer + health disparities in gynecologic cancer was featured on the 1st 2025 issue cover!

aacrjournals.org/cancerrescom...

brnw.ch/21wQ52c
Screenshot of a tweet from the AACR Journal Cancer Research Communication. "Did you know - the journal cover showcases figures from nine articles. Featured on the 2025 cover: WNT4 Regulates Cellular Metabolism via Intracellular Activity at the Mitochondria in Breast and Gynecologic Cancers By @mjsikora and @bitlerlabucd"
January 20, 2025 at 10:59 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Applications for Endocrine Society's awards programs are open until 1/15, including key early career programs, e.g. Early Career Forum & REGMS research fellowship.

These programs are a gateway to grow careers in endocrinology and in ES as a professional home. Apply today!

www.endocrine.org/awards
As a co-chair of the Training and Career Development Core Committee, I’m proud to highlight the Endocrine Society’s commitment to fostering the next generation of leaders in endocrinology through these transformative programs. Having seen firsthand their impact, I can attest to their power in equipping trainees with the skills, connections, and recognition they need to excel and lead in the field. Applications for these programs close soon on Wednesday, January 15, and we want to ensure your trainees don’t miss this opportunity. By encouraging them to apply, you can help them access workshops, mentorship, networking, and awards designed to elevate their careers. The Early Investigator Awards (EIA) celebrate exceptional research in endocrinology. Awardees receive a $1,000 prize, complimentary ENDO 2025 registration, a one-year Society membership, and public recognition of their accomplishments. The Early Career Forum Travel Award (ECF) provides access to an exclusive professional development workshop at the ENDO annual meeting. Travel awardees receive complimentary registrations for ENDO 2025 and the ECF workshop, plus a $400 travel grant. The Research Experiences for Graduate and Medical Students (REGMS) program supports promising 1st to 3rd year medical or graduate students through hands-on research experience and mentorship from Endocrine Society members. Participants receive a $2,500 honorarium, an 8-week webinar series, career development opportunities, and the opportunity to present research at ENDO 2026 with a $1,500 travel grant. Your recommendation and encouragement could make all the difference for a trainee considering these opportunities. Please share this information with your students and fellows and help us support the next generation of leaders in endocrinology. Thank you for your partnership in fostering the careers of tomorrow’s endocrine professionals.
January 3, 2025 at 4:40 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
My wife wins with coolest gift ever. Hands down. I'm floored.

(Custom LED sign of our lab logo, which she also designed in the first place. 🤯🤯🤯)
LED sign of the Sikora Lab logo, a pink ribbon with blue sterol core, and script lettering in white.
December 25, 2024 at 7:40 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Congrats to Dr. Taylor Benson on receiving an 'Outside-the-Box' Seed Grant from the HERA Ovarian Cancer Foundation (www.herafoundation.org) for 2025! Taylor leads shared work in the Sikora/Bitler Labs and will study a metabolism-based approach for early ovca detection with HERA support.
Headshot of Dr. Taylor Benson
December 20, 2024 at 4:03 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Happy Holidays from the Sikora Lab! Wishing you and yours a peaceful holiday season, without freezer alerts or grant/paper rejections. 🎅🦌🎄🥂

Left to right: me, Joe, Maggie, Carmen, Camryn, Maddy, Sydney, Taylor, and Michael (not pictured). Lab decor was Xmas movie theater 🍿📽️🎬
Eight members of the Sikora Lab in front of lab decorations for the holidays.
December 18, 2024 at 9:24 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
Come see me at P5-02-29, by product theater B, to talk about new ideas for PARPi use for #lobular breast cancer!

#SABCS24

ePoster and audio summary at: sabcs.multilearning.com/sabcs/2024/b...
Dr Matt Sikora standing at his research poster.
December 13, 2024 at 5:44 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
I am SO PROUD of Steffi, and honored that I trained with her 🥹
#SABCS24
December 12, 2024 at 9:24 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
An upcoming @cuanschutz.bsky.social Office of Research meeting with an unexpectedly unsettling title 😨:
A 'save the date' for an upcoming meeting entitled "Federal Policy Update for Researchers"
December 9, 2024 at 10:23 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
In two ILC cell line xg's and one PDX, adding talazoparib to anti-estrogen improved growth inhibition. Striking that by RECIST, 10-50% of tumors did not respond to anti-estrogen only, but 90-100% of tumors responded to the PARPi combo (with 20-50% complete regression at Rx completion). 6/n
Pre vs post treatment tumor size across three ILC xenograft models. combined anti-estrogen (AI) plus PARPi (Tala) improved response rate and led to more complete responses. Bars show related proportions of progressive disease, stable disease, partial responses, and complete responses based on change in tumor size over treatment time.
December 6, 2024 at 9:47 PM
mjsikora.bsky.social
One ~HR deficiency-linked marker that is higher in ILC, surprisingly, is PARPi7 score, a gene expression set from I-SPY trials that predicts PARPi response (in ER+ tumors too). Not only is PARPi7 high in ILC (in range of PARPi-sensitivity), high-PARPi7 is assoc w poor DFS in ILC but not IDC. 4/n
G, PARPi7 scores from TCGA PanCancer analyses. ILC n=134; IDC n=315. Blue line = median. Mann-Whitney T-test p-value shown, significantly higher scores in ILC. H, Disease-free survival from samples with PARPi7 score and survival data. ILC PARPi7 Hi, n=57; ILC PARPi7 Lo, n=62; IDC PARPi7 Hi, n=82; IDC PARPi7 Lo, n=188. Log-rank test p-value shown (no separation in IDC, PARPi7 Hi with shorter DFS in ILC).
December 6, 2024 at 9:47 PM