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The Fisher-Wellman Lab

Investigating mitochondrial function in cancer

Recently relocated from East Carolina University, our research group is based at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. Our laboratory is located in beautiful downtown Winston-Salem in the newly revitalized 'Innovation Quarter' at Biotech Place

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Mitochondria in Cancer

Our lab investigates metabolic differences between cancer and non-cancer cells that originate within the energy-producing organelle of the cell referred to as the mitochondrion. Mitochondria are present in all cell types (RBCs excluded), and thus the assumption has been that all mitochondria are alike, and that function declines due to disease or aging. However, new evidence is emerging that all mitochondria are not alike but, in fact, are unique in composition and function within each cell type, including cancer cells. This raises the exciting possibility that identifying the unique bioenergetic signature(s) of cancer may hold the key to designing mitochondrial-targeted therapies that specifically target only those cancer cells. Research in our lab leverages a state-of-the art mitochondrial diagnostics workflow we developed which unites comprehensive, discovery-based bioenergetic phenotyping with large-scale analysis of the mitochondrial proteome using mass spectrometry. The primary goal of our work is to create a biochemical ‘blue-print’ of the mitochondrial network in cancer and then use this information to identify actionable mechanisms intrinsic to cancerous mitochondria. Learn more about our work by checking out our Current Projects and past Publications

Current Projects

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Funded by the National Cancer Institute

(R37-CA278826)

Funded by the National Cancer Institute

(P01-CA171983)

Targeting Mitochondrial Efficiency in Cardiometabolic Disease

Details coming soon.....

Team Members

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

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Kelsey H. Fisher-Wellman, Ph.D.
X: @KFW_Lab

Principle Investigator

Associate Professor

Department of Cancer Biology

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center


B.S. – Kinesiology, University of Memphis
M.S. – Kinesiology, University of Memphis
PhD – Bioenergetics, East Carolina University

Interests: Understanding how intrinsic mitochondrial remodeling supports the cancer phenotype.

Published Work

For a complete list of all publications, click button below.

Interested in the latest research related to Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Cancer? Check out our weekly curated reports on this subject, brought to you by BioMed News.

Experimental Protocols and Methods

Detailed experimental protocols will be made available upon request.

Science Lab
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Subcellular Proteomics
Mitochondrial Phenotyping
Mitochondrial Isolation

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Contact Us

Thanks for your interest in our research. Get in touch with any questions or comments regarding our work and publications on X - @KFW_Lab or using the form below. If interested in joining the team, please contact us directly via email - kfisherw@wakehealth.edu.

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

575 Patterson Ave, Suite 350

Winston-Salem, NC 27101

336-716-2672

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