Alexander Muir, PhD

Our group is interested in understanding the metabolic adaptations that allow cancer cells to grow and proliferate, causing tumor growth. To understand how cancer cell metabolism works to fuel tumor growth, we use metabolomics techniques to catalog what nutrients are in the microenvironment of tumors. This provides us with a "menu" of nutrients that cancer cells could potentially metabolize to fuel their growth. Once we know the "menu" for different tumor types, we then use a variety of experimental tools from metabolomics to CRISPR gene editing to determine which nutrients cancer cells actually consume from the "menu", and which metabolic pathways process these nutrients. From these experiments, we are delineating the biochemical underpinnings of cancer cell growth.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
Post-doctoral fellow - Tumor Metabolism
2019

University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
PhD - Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology
2015

University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
BA/BA - Biology/Romance Languages and Literature
2009

HYENA detects oncogenes activated by distal enhancers in cancer.
HYENA detects oncogenes activated by distal enhancers in cancer. Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Sep 09; 52(16):e77.
PMID: 39051548

Tumor-associated macrophages restrict CD8+ T cell function through collagen deposition and metabolic reprogramming of the breast cancer microenvironment.
Tumor-associated macrophages restrict CD8+ T cell function through collagen deposition and metabolic reprogramming of the breast cancer microenvironment. Nat Cancer. 2024 Jul; 5(7):1045-1062.
PMID: 38831058

Metabolite profiling of human renal cell carcinoma reveals tissue-origin dominance in nutrient availability.
Metabolite profiling of human renal cell carcinoma reveals tissue-origin dominance in nutrient availability. Elife. 2024 May 24; 13.
PMID: 38787918

VHL loss reprograms the immune landscape to promote an inflammatory myeloid microenvironment in renal tumorigenesis.
VHL loss reprograms the immune landscape to promote an inflammatory myeloid microenvironment in renal tumorigenesis. J Clin Invest. 2024 Apr 15; 134(8).
PMID: 38618956

HYENA detects oncogenes activated by distal enhancers in cancer.
HYENA detects oncogenes activated by distal enhancers in cancer. bioRxiv. 2024 Apr 12.
PMID: 38076958

Metabolite profiling of human renal cell carcinoma reveals tissue-origin dominance in nutrient availability.
Metabolite profiling of human renal cell carcinoma reveals tissue-origin dominance in nutrient availability. bioRxiv. 2024 Apr 08.
PMID: 38187626

Tumor Explants Elucidate a Cascade of Paracrine SHH, WNT, and VEGF Signals Driving Pancreatic Cancer Angiosuppression.
Tumor Explants Elucidate a Cascade of Paracrine SHH, WNT, and VEGF Signals Driving Pancreatic Cancer Angiosuppression. Cancer Discov. 2024 Feb 08; 14(2):348-361.
PMID: 37966260

Metabolite profiling of human renal cell carcinoma reveals tissue-origin dominance in nutrient availability.
Metabolite profiling of human renal cell carcinoma reveals tissue-origin dominance in nutrient availability. bioRxiv. 2023 Dec 24.
PMID: 38187626

HYENA detects oncogenes activated by distal enhancers in cancer.
HYENA detects oncogenes activated by distal enhancers in cancer. bioRxiv. 2023 Nov 28.
PMID: 38076958

Trans-vaccenic acid reprograms CD8+ T cells and anti-tumour immunity.
Trans-vaccenic acid reprograms CD8+ T cells and anti-tumour immunity. Nature. 2023 Nov; 623(7989):1034-1043.
PMID: 37993715

View All Publications