News Topic

Congratulations to Peter Goff, MD, PhD, Nghiem Lab researcher, resident in the UW Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology and American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway candidate, who has officially accepted a position to join the UW Medicine Department of…

Dr. Paul Nghiem joined dermatology trainees from across the country this past Monday, Dec. 13, 2021 at Yale Medical School’s Global Dermatology Talks virtual lecture series. Dr. Nghiem's presentation focused on the Nghiem Lab's innovative Merkel cell carcinoma research and new, less-toxic MCC treatments. Watch Dr.…

Paul Nghiem looks at a sample of Merkel cell carcinoma. The UW Medicine Division of Dermatology has an outstanding opportunity for individuals looking for 1-2 dedicated years of paid research experience as either a Research Study Coordinator or Clinical Research…

Dear friends of Merkel cell carcinoma research, During this time of giving and celebrations, I want to let you know how appreciative our Merkel Team is of your support.  This year was one of many exciting milestones that I am…

Undergraduate Research Assistants Lauren Zawacki and Kelsey Cahill presented their research projects at the 22nd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Washington Lauren Zawacki, Undergraduate Research Assistant Kelsey Cahill, Undergraduate Research Assistant

On September 11, 2017 in Seattle, over 260 patients, family members, clinicians, scientists, and trainees from across the United States gathered for the 12th annual Merkel cell carcinoma Dinner Meeting. They enjoyed a lovely buffet dinner, music, lab tours and a presentation…

Dr. Paul Nghiem to give keynote lecture at the 6th Annual Harley Haynes Lectureship and Symposium at Harvard Medical School on Monday March 21, 2016. Please also see Derm Article here.

Masaoki Kawasumi is co-organizing the 3rd Seattle Genetic Instability and Cancer Symposium to be held on June 15, 2015

Kaifeng Hung (a PhD candidate in Oral Biology) successfully completed his Doctoral Dissertation Defense. "Distinct effects of the two major types of UV-induced DNA lesions on DNA damage responses"

Masaoki Kawasumi gave a talk at the UW Dermatology Grand Rounds. "Caffeine as a tool to better understand and inhibit UV-induced skin cancers".

Masaoki Kawasumi's paper on small-molecule screening for novel ATR pathway inhibitors was published online in Cancer Research. "Identification of ATR-Chk1 pathway inhibitors that selectively target p53-deficient cells without directly suppressing ATR catalytic activity"

Dr. Nghiem was honored to deliver the 38th MH Samitz Lectureship at University of Pennsylvania on November 7, 2013. See PDF of program here.

Dr. Nghiem receives the American Cancer Society Legacy & Leadership Award: Find Cures Award. Legacy & Leadership Celebration

Masaoki Kawasumi, MD, PhD, received a highly selective, 3-year Research Career Development Award from the Dermatology Foundation.

Masaoki Kawasumi, MD, PhD, leads a study, published in PNAS on the genetic mechanism by which caffeine diminshes UV-induced skin cancers.

Olga Afanasiev defended her thesis entitled, "Merkel cell polyomavirus-specific T cell responses, immune evasion mechanisms & immune therapy in Merkel cell carcinoma" on April 5, 2013. She will have derived 8 original publications (4 first/co-first author, 4 contributing author) and…

Masaoki Kawasumi received a Dermatology Foundation Research Career Development Award (three-year support).

On Thursday, March 29, 2012, Dr. Paul Nghiem of the University of Washington Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, was honored at an event celebrating his selection as the first Michael Piepkorn Endowed Chair in Dermatology Research chair holder. Faculty, family, colleagues,…

Paul Nghiem discusses Americans' higher incidence of skin cancer on the left side because of where we drive in our cars on KIRO with Chris Sullivan. A link to the article is available here

The Nghiem lab is awarded an R01 grant from the NCI to study humoral and cellular immunity in polyomavirus-linked Merkel cell carcinoma.

Dr. Paulson's study of the risk of melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma shows that about one in ten of these cancers is likely associated with sun exposure while driving because these cancers occur more often on the left arm than…

Paul Nghiem discusses sun exposure, skin cancer, and other skin-related issues on KUOW's "The Conversation" with Ross Reynolds. A link to a recording of the interview is available here.

Paul Nghiem discusses the good and bad of UV radiation in a talk at the 35th Hawaii Dermatology Seminar put on by the Skin Disease Education Foundation . A link to a video of the presentation is available here.

In a collaborative study from ten centers around the United States, a new staging system for MCC was created and adopted for worldwide use in 2010. It replaces five conflicting staging systems and should promote a better understanding of stages…

Many prior studies have shown that radiation can be an effective way to treat Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin. A study led by Dr. Fang now shows that radiation, used alone, is similar in efficacy to surgery in treating MCC…

Dr. Nghiem is featured in Seattle magazine's Top Doctors issue. Click for a pdf of the article.

Dr. Nghiem is featured in City Living Seattle's Health and Wellness issue.  The front page article discusses how caffeine may reduce the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers.  click here to read the article

Drs. Paul Nghiem, Masoki Kawasumi and Tim Heffernan publish a possible rationale for caffeine's UV protective effects: “ATR–Chk1 Pathway Inhibition Promotes Apoptosis after UV Treatment in Primary Human Keratinocytes: Potential Basis for the UV Protective Effects of Caffeine” Press coverage…

Miranda Schmidt joins the lab as an undergraduate research assistant.  Miranda has a Junior class standing at the University of Washington where she is majoring in Biochemistry.

In a new Jean Enersen Healthlink Special "Cancer Breakthroughs (From Head to Toe)" a number of local researchers discuss their work on diagnosing and treating cancer.  Dr. Nghiem is featured for his work on caffiene and skin cancer. Click here to see…

Sherry Lee joins the lab as an undergraduate research assistant.  Sherry has Junior class standing at the University of Washington where she is majoring in Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology.   Sherry also studies traditional and modern Chinese.

Renee Thibodeau joins the lab as a research assistant.  She moved to Seattle after graduating from Whitman College in 2007 with a BA in Biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology. Renee skied NCAA for Whitman and is now enjoy volunteering for…

A study looking at the effects of caffeine on the inhibition of the ATR/Chk1 pathway is published in Cancer Research. They found that administration of caffeine to mice enhances clearance of DNA-damaged cells after treatment with UV. [pdf].

Dr. Nghiem was interviewed by Science Central for his work on caffeine and skin cancer. Click here to see the video interview.

Dr. Nghiem is featured on the cover of the Seattle PI Saturday Newspaper discussing his research on the role of topical caffeine in preventing skin cancer in mice. Click here to read the article

Ashley Warcola joins the lab as a research assistant. She is returning to Seattle after graduating from the University of Portland and spending a year in a physiology lab at OHSU. She has projects on both the replication checkpoint and…

John Pylman, M.S. joins the lab as a research assistant. He is a fourth-year M.D./M.P.H. candidate at George Washington University, focusing on Merkel cell carcinoma investigations at the Nghiem laboratory.

Drs. Koo, Kawasumi and Nghiem publish their findings in the British Journal of Dermatology. [pdf]

Erin Higgins joins the lab as an undergraduate lab assistant. She is a student at the University of Washington, where she is pursuing degrees in Microbiology and Spanish.

Kelly Garneski, an MSTP student, joined the lab for the summer and chose the Nghiem lab for her PhD thesis work. She has extensive research experience and will be studying the biology of Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

Bianca Lemos, MD, joins the lab after completing her Medicine internship at the University of Washington. She will be focusing on the effect of inhibiting the replication checkpoint on UV-induced carcinogenesis and will participate in maintaining the Merkel cell carcinoma…

Protein Kinases and Cancer Therapy featured in Oncogenomics textbook. This chapter provides an overview of new and emerging approaches to target protein kinases in cancer therapy. [pdf]

Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD, is featured in an article in the March 1, 2006, issue of Dermatology Times

Dr. Nghiem moves his lab to the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Kawasumi will join him in Seattle in the Fall, and Dr. Heffernan will remain a part of the lab but will physically remain in Boston. New…

Dr. Heffernan did his PhD with William Kaufmann in North Carolina on the replication checkpoint and ultraviolet-induced DNA damage. He brings extraordinary expertise in this field to our lab. He is working on the roles of ATR and Chk1 in…

This website will serve as a unique resource for Merkell cell carcinoma patients and their physicians. Written and conceived together with Sheela Gupta and Linda Wang and implemented by Digizyme, Inc. Click here to view website.

Douglas is a senior at MIT majoring in Biology. He will be working on the transgenic mouse project with a focus on primary keratinocytes.

Adam is a junior at Tufts University majoring in Biology. He will be responsible for maintaining our transgenic mice and focusing on carcinogenesis.

Dr. Kawasumi is working on the development small molecule inhibitors of ATR.

In an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Vicente Planelle's laboratory, ATR has been shown to play a key role in the cellular response to HIV-1 infection in two papers. [MCB 200] & [JBL 203]

This proposal to study the replication checkpoint and small molecules to regulate it, was rated in the top 4.8% of grants submitted to the Chemical Pathology Study Section of the NIH. It will provide critical funding for our studies through 2008.

Dr. Koo was Assistant Professor of Dermatology in Korea, and has done post-doctoral work for the past three years in the USA.

Through an ongoing collaboration with Anne Casper and the laboratory of Thomas Glover at University of Michigan, a key role of ATR was unraveled. [pdf]