KeyHunt Laboratory
Khandan Keyomarsi, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Kelly K. Hunt, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Principal Investigator
Areas of Research
- Breast Cancer
- Sarcoma
- Biochemistry
- Chemotherapy
- DNA Damage Response
- DNA Repair
- Gene Expression
- Molecular Biology
- Targeted Therapy
- Tumor Suppression
- Uterine Cancer
The KeyHunt Laboratory is directed by Dr. Khandan Keyomarsi and Dr. Kelly K. Hunt. The lab is focused on clinical and translational cancer research in solid tumors, primarily in breast cancers and sarcomas.
Our Research
The KeyHunt research program focuses on identifying and therapeutically exploiting alterations in the G1/S and G2/M cell-cycle checkpoints that drive tumorigenesis, therapeutic resistance, and disease progression in solid tumors. Over the past three decades, our laboratory has made fundamental contributions to understanding cyclin E deregulation, CDK2/4/6 inhibitor resistance, and the development of novel therapeutic strategies in breast, sarcoma, and lung cancers. Many of these discoveries have advanced into translational studies and clinical trials, reflecting my long-standing commitment to bridging basic science with clinical impact.
Research Activities:
Our laboratory currently leads multiple research programs centered on:
1. Cyclin E deregulation, CDK2 dependency and replication stress-driven checkpoint addiction
2. Therapeutic targeting of WEE1 in CCNE1-amplified and replication stress-high tumors
3. Defining transcriptional states and therapeutic sequencing in CDK4/6 inhibitor-resistant HR+/HER2− breast cancer
4. Establishing IL-6-STAT3 signaling as a biomarker and therapeutic driver of CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance
5. Identification of novel cell-cycle-targeted therapeutic strategies through synthetic lethality and rational pathway co-inhibition
The translation of these research directions into clinical trials is the main focus of our laboratory.
Related Departmental Links:
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology
Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology
Keyomarsi & Hunt Training Grants
CPRIT Research Training Grant
CPRIT Research Training Program provides fundamental, interdisciplinary, and innovative training in cancer research at MD Anderson. This program is the continuation of highly successful and comprehensive training programs supported by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (RP101502, RP140106, and RP170067). Our program includes three tracks: the CPRIT TRIUMPH (Translational Research in Multidisciplinary Programs) post-doctoral, CPRIT Graduate Scholar, and CPRIT Summer Undergraduate Research Programs.
The CPRIT Research Training Program is led by:
- Dr. Khandan Keyomarsi, Co-Director & PI
- Dr. Stephanie S. Watowich, Co-Director & Co-PI
Meet the Team
Front Row: Grace Kim, Jing Wang, Min Yi, Kelly Hunt, Khandan Keyomarsi, Carmen Ulizio, Mei-Kuang (Kathy) Chen, Hannah Wingate.
Back Row: Mahogany Griffin, Danielle Rudolph, Tonci Ivanisevic, Valoree Solis,Brian Xu, Roanna Debler, Rezvan Esmaeili, Iman Iqbal, Tuyen Bui, Emily Cavazos, Mi Li, Xiao-Ting Jiang, Kara Lewis, Yan (Esther) Wang, Tram Le, Mason Washington.