Maria Babak: Non-invasive DNA methylation biomarker breakthrough for brain metastasis detection up to 5 years in advance

Maria (Masha) Babak posted the following on LinkedIn:

“What an incredible advancement in cancer research! This research highlights a huge leap forward in predicting brain metastases from lung cancer—using DNA methylation to predict metastasis up to 5 years in advance. Early detection with non-invasive plasma biomarkers can completely change how we approach treatment, potentially saving lives by enabling timely interventions.

Why should you check this out? Imagine being able to monitor metastasis with a simple blood test instead of waiting for symptoms to appear! This breakthrough offers hope for a more personalized and proactive cancer care approach.”

Questions to think about:

• How do you think non-invasive detection like this could impact long-term cancer survival rates?
• Could this method become a new standard in cancer care, and what challenges might we face in its implementation?
• What other areas of oncology might benefit from using similar DNA-based predictions?

Join the conversation and let’s explore the future of early cancer detection together!”

Dr. Maria (Masha) Babak is the Head of The Babak Lab and an Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong. In November 2020, she joined the City University of Hong Kong as an assistant professor. Dr. Babak received the Graeme Hanson-AsBIC Early Career Award in 2022.

Her research interests are at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and medicine, with a focus on the discovery and preclinical development of anticancer drugs for resistant and aggressive cancers with limited treatment options, such as malignant pleural mesothelioma and brain metastases.