Tumors are able to form without any DNA mutations, according to a recent proof-of-principle study performed in flies. Epigenetic changes alone—even temporary alterations—induced permanent cancer cell fate.
Lauren Averett Byers, professor of thoracic/head & neck medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, received the 2025 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Medicine from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology. The award recognizes her fundamental discoveries and contributions to identifying novel therapeutic strategies for small cell lung cancer, which have paved the way for personalized treatments, even in the most highly recalcitrant cancers.
