Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a crucial biological process that occurs during early development. It allows epithelial cells, which line the inner and outer surfaces of the body, to undergo a profound transformation in cellular identity and migrate and populate the embryo. Unfortunately, numerous cancer types exploit this mechanism, allowing cancer cells to detach from the tissue of origin and disseminate throughout the body, significantly worsening patients’ prognoses. Dr. Ichino [HHMI Fellow] is studying the process of developmental EMT with the goal of discovering novel ways to interfere with it in the context of cancer progression. Dr. Ichino’s research takes advantage of a lab-grown system that mimics the EMT and migration of neural cells. Using this system, she plans to study how EMT-promoting transcription factors orchestrate this global change in cellular identity, and how genetic variations can influence this process. Dr. Ichino received her PhD from University of California, Los Angeles and her MS and BS from San Raffaele University, Milan.