The Best of the AACR Journals Collection: Author Profiles
Suzanne Walker
Title & Affiliation:
Professor of Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Most-cited Article:
Inhibition of O-GlcNAc Transferase Renders Prostate Cancer Cells Dependent on CDK9
Q: What is your primary area of study/research?
A: Chemical biology.
Q: What influenced your decision to embark on a research career?
A: I decided to explore research because I wanted to do something meaningful and challenging, but also enjoyable.
Q; What excites you most about your research area?
A: A lot of what we do involves the discovery of small-molecule probes and their application to understand biological processes and interconnections, and I really like both the chemistry and the voyage into how cells work. I also love it when scientists from completely different backgrounds from mine see new opportunities in my lab and bring their perspectives and experiences into our community. Harri Itkonen, the first author on this paper, saw an opportunity to use small-molecule OGT inhibitors we had developed to identify vulnerabilities in prostate cancer cells that might be exploited for therapeutic benefit. He is a wonderful scientist, and I learned a tremendous amount from him.
Q: What do you do for fun outside of work? What are your passions and hobbies?
A: I really enjoy time with my family. My children are fun!
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