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Dr. Yu researches the mechanism of cancer metastasis, the major cause of cancer-related death. Her laboratory is gaining a better understanding of the cancer stem cell properties in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and obtaining novel insights on how to target these rare populations.

Stories

Kuo-Chang (Ted) Tseng from the Crump Lab and Michelle Hung from the Ichida Lab enjoy a beachside brainstorm.

Scientists feel the sand between their toes at the retreat for USC’s stem cell department

A pair of young scientists picked up a piece of driftwood and thoughtfully traced a series of letters in the wet sand of Ventura Beach. The word “microglia”—referring to the immune cells …

Min Yu (Photo by Chris Shinn)

USC Stem Cell scientist Min Yu brainstorms new ways to beat breast cancer

For USC cancer researcher Min Yu, starting her lab meant building a culture of like-minded scientists. When she first joined the university as an assistant professor of stem cell biology and regenerative …

Kevin Liu

Where are they now? Stem cell master’s program alumnus Kevin Liu, a PhD student studying cancer biology at Stanford

In this series of alumni profiles, we highlight graduates of USC’s master of science program in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Our accomplished alumni have pursued many different paths—ranging from a …

Ebony Flowers

Ebony Flowers receives fellowship from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program

Ebony Flowers has already received three fellowships during her year-and-a-half as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at USC. First, she was awarded the Choi …

Min Yu (Photo by Chris Shinn)

USC Stem Cell scientist Min Yu awarded Era of Hope Scholar Award from the U.S. Department of Defense for breast cancer research

Most breast cancer cells won’t kill you. It is the rare cell that can survive the perilous journey through the bloodstream and seed the metastatic lesions responsible for the vast majority of …

Ebony Flowers

USC Stem Cell scientist Ebony Flowers earns fellowship from the A.P. Giannini Foundation

From goji berries to green tea, antioxidant rich superfoods are celebrated for protecting against cancer-causing free radicals. But what is the role of free radicals—and the process of cell metabolism that produces …

Development of brain metastasis is a complex process in which metastatic cells (green) overcome the protective effect of immune cells (red). (Image/Yu Lab, USC Stem Cell)

Research reveals why breast cancer spreads to the brain

USC researchers have determined how cancer cells target certain organs, which could help develop treatments to slow or stop the disease from spreading. Most cancers kill because tumor cells spread beyond the …

Ebony Flowers (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

Ebony Flowers named Choi Family Postdoctoral Fellow at USC Stem Cell

For Ebony Flowers, a postdoctoral fellow in the USC Stem Cell laboratory of Min Yu, doing science is ultimately about helping patients. “The fact that Min Yu’s Lab is looking at actual …

Min Yu (Photo by Chris Shinn)

USC Stem Cell scientist Min Yu brings curiosity and compassion to cancer research

In her new lab, Min Yu observed the eerie predictability of a line of human breast cancer cells. First in one mouse, then in many, the cells metastasized again and again to …

Junior faculty (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

USC Stem Cell junior faculty balance babies with biomedical research

Growing stem cells isn’t just something junior faculty do in the lab. Eight of the junior faculty in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine recently welcomed new babies into …

Oihana Iriondo (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

Broad Fellow Oihana Iriondo follows her curiosity as a cancer researcher

Oihana Iriondo, the newest Broad Postdoctoral Fellow, has always been curious about how things work.

The Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Symposium sparked collaborations. (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

USC researchers converge at the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Symposium

“The field of stem cell biology is one of our great convergence opportunities,” said USC Provost Michael Quick, addressing an audience of biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, clinicians and many others. This diverse …

Erasing the distance (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

USC Stem Cell and BCRegMed Virtual Symposium brings Canada to California

It didn’t require plane tickets to bring together scientists from USC Stem Cell in Los Angeles and BCRegMed in Vancouver. During October’s Virtual Symposium, videoconferencing technology enabled these scientists to share ideas …

Note to self (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

At the retreat for USC’s stem cell department, the students become the masters

Students and trainees took center stage at the annual retreat for USC’s Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. They presented their latest research to the 180 stem cell scientists who …

Metastatic breast cancer cells (yellow) interacting with macrophages (magenta) (Image by Oihana Iriondo/Yu Lab)

Particle shows promise for treating the most deadly type of breast cancer

USC Stem Cell researchers from the laboratory of Min Yu have positive news for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most deadly type of breast cancer. By inhibiting a protein called …

Larry Goldstein, the director of the stem cell program at the University of California, San Diego, and keynote speaker at the retreat for USC’s Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (Photo by Cristy Lytal)

Scientists get into detail at the retreat for USC’s stem cell department

“The process of disease is about detail,” said Larry Goldstein, the director of the stem cell program at the University of California, San Diego, and keynote speaker at the retreat for USC’s …

Pluripotency (Painting by Amanda Kwieraga)

USC alumna Amanda Kwieraga makes paintings from acrylic, wood and stem cell science

“Anyone who views something under a microscope or through a telescope will tell you that science is art, and that art is the perfect way to convey science,” said Amanda Kwieraga, an …

From left, Gage Crump, Min Yu, Yang Chai, Joseph T. Rodgers and Denis Evseenko—all faculty in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine—led a panel discussion about “Preparing for the faculty job market.” (Photo by Cristy Lytal)

The faculty job search just got easier, thanks to two USC Stem Cell postdocs

“I think we’re all here for the same reason,” said Michaela Patterson, a postdoc in the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC. “We’re considering …

Kidney organoid (Image by Tracy Tran/McMcMahon Lab)

USC’s stem cell scientists secure the dollars to fight disease

The price of progress is not only the energy and talent of stem cell scientists, but also the research dollars that support their discoveries. In recent months, faculty members have secured numerous …

Eli and Edythe Broad (Photo by Ben Gibbs)

The Broad Foundation gives a tenth birthday gift to the USC, UCLA and UCSF stem cell centers

Last Friday, scientists from USC, UCLA and UCSF gathered at a symposium to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their three stem cell research centers, established with support from Eli and Edythe Broad …

Min Yu, MD, PhD