Rushika M. Perera
@rushika-perera.bsky.social
Associate Prof. @UCSF Dept. of Anatomy & Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center | My lab studies lysosomes, autophagy, metabolism and pancreatic cancer
visit us at : rushikapereralab.com
visit us at : rushikapereralab.com
Join us in sunny California for the 2026 GRC Autophagy meeting! Excited to co-chair with Oliver Florey and vice chairs Helene Knaevelsrud and @robzonculab.bsky.social
Keynote speakers incl. Eileen White, @idikic.bsky.social and Sharon Tooze- Registration is open: link⬇️ www.grc.org/autophagy-in...
Keynote speakers incl. Eileen White, @idikic.bsky.social and Sharon Tooze- Registration is open: link⬇️ www.grc.org/autophagy-in...
2026 Autophagy in Stress, Development and Disease Conference GRC
The 2026 Gordon Research Conference on Autophagy in Stress, Development and Disease will be held in Ventura, California. Apply today to reserve your spot.
www.grc.org
October 17, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Join us in sunny California for the 2026 GRC Autophagy meeting! Excited to co-chair with Oliver Florey and vice chairs Helene Knaevelsrud and @robzonculab.bsky.social
Keynote speakers incl. Eileen White, @idikic.bsky.social and Sharon Tooze- Registration is open: link⬇️ www.grc.org/autophagy-in...
Keynote speakers incl. Eileen White, @idikic.bsky.social and Sharon Tooze- Registration is open: link⬇️ www.grc.org/autophagy-in...
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Senior author @rushika-perera.bsky.social
@ucsanfrancisco.bsky.social on latest publication suggesting new opportunities to treat pancreatic cancer, which is notoriously resistant to many therapies | Pancreatic Cancer Spreads to Liver or Lung Thanks to This Protein cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2025/06...
@ucsanfrancisco.bsky.social on latest publication suggesting new opportunities to treat pancreatic cancer, which is notoriously resistant to many therapies | Pancreatic Cancer Spreads to Liver or Lung Thanks to This Protein cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2025/06...
June 4, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Senior author @rushika-perera.bsky.social
@ucsanfrancisco.bsky.social on latest publication suggesting new opportunities to treat pancreatic cancer, which is notoriously resistant to many therapies | Pancreatic Cancer Spreads to Liver or Lung Thanks to This Protein cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2025/06...
@ucsanfrancisco.bsky.social on latest publication suggesting new opportunities to treat pancreatic cancer, which is notoriously resistant to many therapies | Pancreatic Cancer Spreads to Liver or Lung Thanks to This Protein cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2025/06...
Online today in @nature.com - our latest study led by superstar postdoc Gilles Rademaker detailing the role of PSCK9 in driving sterol dependent metastatic organ choice in pancreatic cancer nature.com/articles/s41...
full text available here 👉 rdcu.be/em0VG and thread 👇
full text available here 👉 rdcu.be/em0VG and thread 👇
May 21, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Online today in @nature.com - our latest study led by superstar postdoc Gilles Rademaker detailing the role of PSCK9 in driving sterol dependent metastatic organ choice in pancreatic cancer nature.com/articles/s41...
full text available here 👉 rdcu.be/em0VG and thread 👇
full text available here 👉 rdcu.be/em0VG and thread 👇
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
I am thrilled to share that the first preprint from my lab is now available on bioRxiV! In this study, our team elucidates the role of autocrine ligands in the aberrant behavior of oncogene-driven lung cancer.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
BRAFV600E-Driven Lung Tumorigenesis Requires Ligand-Mediated Activation of ERBB Receptor Signaling
Secretion of ligands of the human epidermal growth factor (EGFR) family of receptors or erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene family (ERBB1-4) is a feature common to many cancer cells. However, our u...
www.biorxiv.org
May 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I am thrilled to share that the first preprint from my lab is now available on bioRxiV! In this study, our team elucidates the role of autocrine ligands in the aberrant behavior of oncogene-driven lung cancer.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
👏 Congratulations to Dr. Edward Chang on his election to the National Academy of Sciences! Dr. Chang is the first neurosurgeon to achieve this prestigious distinction since Harvey Cushing's election more than 100 years ago in 1917!
More about this historic recognition ➡️ ucsfh.org/438cefp
More about this historic recognition ➡️ ucsfh.org/438cefp
May 9, 2025 at 11:21 PM
👏 Congratulations to Dr. Edward Chang on his election to the National Academy of Sciences! Dr. Chang is the first neurosurgeon to achieve this prestigious distinction since Harvey Cushing's election more than 100 years ago in 1917!
More about this historic recognition ➡️ ucsfh.org/438cefp
More about this historic recognition ➡️ ucsfh.org/438cefp
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Wonderful talk by @rushika-perera.bsky.social of @ucsfhealth.bsky.social today in our @mti-ucb.bsky.social/#MolecularTherapeutics seminar series at @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social today, presenting cool data about organ-selective metastasis! Thank you!!!
April 24, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Wonderful talk by @rushika-perera.bsky.social of @ucsfhealth.bsky.social today in our @mti-ucb.bsky.social/#MolecularTherapeutics seminar series at @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social today, presenting cool data about organ-selective metastasis! Thank you!!!
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
SO excited to share that a major part of the postdoctoral work in @robzonculab.bsky.social lab is now published: “Leucine aminopeptidase LyLAP enables lysosomal degradation of membrane proteins” www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Leucine aminopeptidase LyLAP enables lysosomal degradation of membrane proteins
Breakdown of every transmembrane protein trafficked to lysosomes requires proteolysis of their hydrophobic helical transmembrane domains. Combining lysosomal proteomics with functional genomic dataset...
www.science.org
March 27, 2025 at 7:45 PM
SO excited to share that a major part of the postdoctoral work in @robzonculab.bsky.social lab is now published: “Leucine aminopeptidase LyLAP enables lysosomal degradation of membrane proteins” www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
An incredible tour de force in biochemistry and cell biology by superstar @robzonculab.bsky.social lab postdoc @aakritijain.bsky.social
LyLAP - a new lysosomal protease responsible for degrading integral membrane proteins in highly phagocytic cells like #PDAC cells.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
LyLAP - a new lysosomal protease responsible for degrading integral membrane proteins in highly phagocytic cells like #PDAC cells.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Leucine aminopeptidase LyLAP enables lysosomal degradation of membrane proteins
Breakdown of every transmembrane protein trafficked to lysosomes requires proteolysis of their hydrophobic helical transmembrane domains. Combining lysosomal proteomics with functional genomic dataset...
www.science.org
March 28, 2025 at 7:13 PM
An incredible tour de force in biochemistry and cell biology by superstar @robzonculab.bsky.social lab postdoc @aakritijain.bsky.social
LyLAP - a new lysosomal protease responsible for degrading integral membrane proteins in highly phagocytic cells like #PDAC cells.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
LyLAP - a new lysosomal protease responsible for degrading integral membrane proteins in highly phagocytic cells like #PDAC cells.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Fantastic talk today by the legend herself: so great to have her in house!! Don’t mind me while I fangirl over THE Dr. Rushika Perera! @rushika-perera.bsky.social @anirbanmaitra.bsky.social
March 12, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Fantastic talk today by the legend herself: so great to have her in house!! Don’t mind me while I fangirl over THE Dr. Rushika Perera! @rushika-perera.bsky.social @anirbanmaitra.bsky.social
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
☕️Kovalski et al. perform a genome-wide CRISPRi screen for selective MYC translation regulators and identify RBM42 as a ribosome-associated protein that modulates MYC translation and an #oncogenic mRNA program required for #PancreaticCancer growth.
👉🏼https://rdcu.be/ecb4e
bit.ly/41FKwY3
👉🏼https://rdcu.be/ecb4e
bit.ly/41FKwY3
Functional screen identifies RBM42 as a mediator of oncogenic mRNA translation specificity - Nature Cell Biology
Kovalski et al. perform a genome-wide CRISPRi screen for selective MYC mRNA translation regulators and identify RBM42 as a ribosome-associated protein that modulates translation of MYC and an oncogeni...
bit.ly
March 4, 2025 at 10:58 PM
☕️Kovalski et al. perform a genome-wide CRISPRi screen for selective MYC translation regulators and identify RBM42 as a ribosome-associated protein that modulates MYC translation and an #oncogenic mRNA program required for #PancreaticCancer growth.
👉🏼https://rdcu.be/ecb4e
bit.ly/41FKwY3
👉🏼https://rdcu.be/ecb4e
bit.ly/41FKwY3
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
We are thrilled to share our discovery of a new factor, the RBP RBM42, which is key to fueling pancreas cancer through the deadly oncogene Myc. I look forward to what we uncover next! Thanks to the fantastic team lead by @DavideRuggero @rushika-perera.bsky.social & @genophoria.bsky.social!
☕️Kovalski et al. perform a genome-wide CRISPRi screen for selective MYC translation regulators and identify RBM42 as a ribosome-associated protein that modulates MYC translation and an #oncogenic mRNA program required for #PancreaticCancer growth.
👉🏼https://rdcu.be/ecb4e
bit.ly/41FKwY3
👉🏼https://rdcu.be/ecb4e
bit.ly/41FKwY3
Functional screen identifies RBM42 as a mediator of oncogenic mRNA translation specificity - Nature Cell Biology
Kovalski et al. perform a genome-wide CRISPRi screen for selective MYC mRNA translation regulators and identify RBM42 as a ribosome-associated protein that modulates translation of MYC and an oncogeni...
bit.ly
March 6, 2025 at 3:11 AM
We are thrilled to share our discovery of a new factor, the RBP RBM42, which is key to fueling pancreas cancer through the deadly oncogene Myc. I look forward to what we uncover next! Thanks to the fantastic team lead by @DavideRuggero @rushika-perera.bsky.social & @genophoria.bsky.social!
Today we celebrate Zena Werb with an inspirational memorial lecture delivered by @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social who is a former UCSF Dept of Anatomy postdoc alum !
January 15, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Today we celebrate Zena Werb with an inspirational memorial lecture delivered by @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social who is a former UCSF Dept of Anatomy postdoc alum !
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
📢Please apply for the Cancer Discovery Early Career Award if you are the first or corresponding author of a Cancer Discovery paper published in 2023 or 2024, Assistant Professor or equivalent, and got your PhD/MD within the past 12 years! The deadline is January 10!
aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscov...
aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscov...
January 2, 2025 at 6:07 PM
📢Please apply for the Cancer Discovery Early Career Award if you are the first or corresponding author of a Cancer Discovery paper published in 2023 or 2024, Assistant Professor or equivalent, and got your PhD/MD within the past 12 years! The deadline is January 10!
aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscov...
aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscov...
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Happy New Year. I’m pleased to report publication of the Ducker lab’s latest cancer metabolism paper led by graduate student Kyle Dunlap in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports.... 1/n
www.cell.com/cell-reports.... 1/n
SLC7A5 is required for cancer cell growth under arginine-limited conditions
Metabolic adaptations are key to cancer cell survival in nutrient-limited microenvironments, but strategies for coping with arginine scarcity are poorly understood. Dunlap et al. use CRISPR screening and metabolomics to identify the plasma membrane transporter SLC7A5 as a citrulline transporter essential for cancer cell growth under arginine limitation.
www.cell.com
January 6, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Happy New Year. I’m pleased to report publication of the Ducker lab’s latest cancer metabolism paper led by graduate student Kyle Dunlap in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports.... 1/n
www.cell.com/cell-reports.... 1/n
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
For those starting on BSKY and loving #metabolism and #mitochondria, the 2 starter packs have now been completed. 300 scientists working in this field are here to be followed! Happy Boxing Day
Starter pack 1: go.bsky.app/VavECSX
Starter pack 2: go.bsky.app/CH1MctZ
Starter pack 1: go.bsky.app/VavECSX
Starter pack 2: go.bsky.app/CH1MctZ
a stack of gift boxes with the words happy boxing day below
ALT: a stack of gift boxes with the words happy boxing day below
media.tenor.com
December 26, 2024 at 8:20 AM
For those starting on BSKY and loving #metabolism and #mitochondria, the 2 starter packs have now been completed. 300 scientists working in this field are here to be followed! Happy Boxing Day
Starter pack 1: go.bsky.app/VavECSX
Starter pack 2: go.bsky.app/CH1MctZ
Starter pack 1: go.bsky.app/VavECSX
Starter pack 2: go.bsky.app/CH1MctZ
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Good Sunday, all. What a wonderful collection of papers in #cancermetabolism and #mitochondrialbiology this is! Check it here: biomed.news/bims-camemi/... @biomednews.bsky.social
Happy holiday season to you all!
"Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty."-Jacob Bronowski
Happy holiday season to you all!
"Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty."-Jacob Bronowski
bart simpson is talking to santa claus who is laying in a chair
ALT: bart simpson is talking to santa claus who is laying in a chair
media.tenor.com
December 22, 2024 at 6:37 AM
Good Sunday, all. What a wonderful collection of papers in #cancermetabolism and #mitochondrialbiology this is! Check it here: biomed.news/bims-camemi/... @biomednews.bsky.social
Happy holiday season to you all!
"Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty."-Jacob Bronowski
Happy holiday season to you all!
"Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty."-Jacob Bronowski
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Happy Saturday. If you're working on your NIH specific Aims for a February submission, don't include a figure. grants.nih.gov/grants-proce....
Format Attachments | Grants & Funding
grants.nih.gov
December 21, 2024 at 2:22 PM
Happy Saturday. If you're working on your NIH specific Aims for a February submission, don't include a figure. grants.nih.gov/grants-proce....
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Congrats to Salma Merchant for Cell Stem Cell paper: the effects of fatty acid oxidation in hematopoietic stem cells are context dependent. FAO is not necessary in young HSCs, but becomes necessary during aging, and is deleterious when upregulated by a high fat diet.
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
Different effects of fatty acid oxidation on hematopoietic stem cells based on age and diet
Morrison and colleagues show long-chain fatty acid oxidation has context-dependent effects on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). It is dispensable for HSC function in young mice. It becomes necessary for normal HSC function and hematopoiesis in older mice. A high-fat diet increases fatty acid oxidation, and this impairs HSC function.
www.cell.com
December 20, 2024 at 4:03 PM
Congrats to Salma Merchant for Cell Stem Cell paper: the effects of fatty acid oxidation in hematopoietic stem cells are context dependent. FAO is not necessary in young HSCs, but becomes necessary during aging, and is deleterious when upregulated by a high fat diet.
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
@robzonculab.bsky.social lab representing at #CellBio2024 San Diego - great talks in the #Lysosome session by @hrshin.bsky.social @cri-utsw.bsky.social and @aakritijain.bsky.social 🙌
Lysosomes are amazing !
Lysosomes are amazing !
December 16, 2024 at 12:36 AM
@robzonculab.bsky.social lab representing at #CellBio2024 San Diego - great talks in the #Lysosome session by @hrshin.bsky.social @cri-utsw.bsky.social and @aakritijain.bsky.social 🙌
Lysosomes are amazing !
Lysosomes are amazing !
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Now online in Cancer Discovery: Androgen Receptor Inhibition Increases MHC Class I Expression and Improves Immune Response in Prostate Cancer - by Lisa Chesner, Felix Feng, Amy Moran, and colleagues @ucsfcancer.bsky.social @ohsunews.bsky.social doi.org/10.1158/2159...
December 9, 2024 at 7:01 PM
Now online in Cancer Discovery: Androgen Receptor Inhibition Increases MHC Class I Expression and Improves Immune Response in Prostate Cancer - by Lisa Chesner, Felix Feng, Amy Moran, and colleagues @ucsfcancer.bsky.social @ohsunews.bsky.social doi.org/10.1158/2159...
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
New NCI K32. Up to $80K for salary. $30K/yr research development.
US citizenship NOT required. 🧪
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
US citizenship NOT required. 🧪
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
December 11, 2024 at 3:00 PM
New NCI K32. Up to $80K for salary. $30K/yr research development.
US citizenship NOT required. 🧪
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
US citizenship NOT required. 🧪
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
In case you missed it.. New preprint! Our latest study identifying how MHC-I is captured by autophagy and targeted for degradation in #PDAC - It all happens at the ER ! Congrats to co-first authors Marine Berquez, Alex Li & Matthew Luy.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A multi-subunit autophagic capture complex facilitates degradation of ER stalled MHC-I in pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) evades immune detection partly via autophagic capture and lysosomal degradation of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I). Why MHC-I is susceptible to ...
www.biorxiv.org
December 12, 2024 at 4:49 AM
In case you missed it.. New preprint! Our latest study identifying how MHC-I is captured by autophagy and targeted for degradation in #PDAC - It all happens at the ER ! Congrats to co-first authors Marine Berquez, Alex Li & Matthew Luy.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
🚨 New bioRxiv study! 🚨
PDAC adapts to glutamine depletion via macropinocytosis, reshaping CAF subtypes & tumor stroma. Blocking it sensitizes tumors to therapy.
Shoutout to Dr. Yijuan Zhang for leading this amazing work!
Read more: 🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#CancerResearch #PDAC #TME
PDAC adapts to glutamine depletion via macropinocytosis, reshaping CAF subtypes & tumor stroma. Blocking it sensitizes tumors to therapy.
Shoutout to Dr. Yijuan Zhang for leading this amazing work!
Read more: 🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#CancerResearch #PDAC #TME
Macropinocytosis controls metabolic stress-driven CAF subtype identity in pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors are deficient in glutamine, an amino acid that tumor cells and CAFs use to sustain their fitness. In PDAC, both cell types stimulate macropinocytosis as ...
www.biorxiv.org
December 5, 2024 at 6:20 PM
🚨 New bioRxiv study! 🚨
PDAC adapts to glutamine depletion via macropinocytosis, reshaping CAF subtypes & tumor stroma. Blocking it sensitizes tumors to therapy.
Shoutout to Dr. Yijuan Zhang for leading this amazing work!
Read more: 🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#CancerResearch #PDAC #TME
PDAC adapts to glutamine depletion via macropinocytosis, reshaping CAF subtypes & tumor stroma. Blocking it sensitizes tumors to therapy.
Shoutout to Dr. Yijuan Zhang for leading this amazing work!
Read more: 🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#CancerResearch #PDAC #TME
Reposted by Rushika M. Perera
Congratulations to the new #AACR #TME working group Chair elect!!!
The one and only (best friend and colleague) @ashi-w.bsky.social
www.aacr.org/professional...
The one and only (best friend and colleague) @ashi-w.bsky.social
www.aacr.org/professional...
TME Working Group Chair-Elect Election Results
Congratulations to Ashani T. Weeraratna, PhDTME Working Group Chair-elect 2025-2026 Our thanks to Ashani T. Weeraratna, PhD, and Marina Pasca di Magliano, PhD, for standing for election, and to the TM...
www.aacr.org
December 11, 2024 at 10:56 PM
Congratulations to the new #AACR #TME working group Chair elect!!!
The one and only (best friend and colleague) @ashi-w.bsky.social
www.aacr.org/professional...
The one and only (best friend and colleague) @ashi-w.bsky.social
www.aacr.org/professional...