Soragni:Lab
@alice.soragnilab.com
Of aggregation, rare cancer biology, and organoids
First gen / Associate Prof @UCLA
Board: @TheSFPM.bsky.social
Founder: Icona BioDx
Website & papers: https://linktr.ee/soragnilab
Twitter archive: @twitter.soragnilab.com
Here in a personal capacity.
First gen / Associate Prof @UCLA
Board: @TheSFPM.bsky.social
Founder: Icona BioDx
Website & papers: https://linktr.ee/soragnilab
Twitter archive: @twitter.soragnilab.com
Here in a personal capacity.
Pinned
Soragni:Lab
@alice.soragnilab.com
· Aug 26
Patient-derived organoids reveal hypoxia-driven plasticity and therapeutic vulnerabilities in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas
Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare chromaffin cell-derived neuroendocrine tumors of sympathetic (catecholamine-producing) or parasympathetic (nonsecretory) origin, frequently driven...
www.biorxiv.org
Big day for our team: our pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) organoid paper is now up on bioRxiv!
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
Excited to launch an openRxiv partnership with the scientist-run AI review service qed (@qedscience.bsky.social), the brainchild of @odedrechavi.bsky.social 1/n
openrxiv.org/enabling-rev...
openrxiv.org/enabling-rev...
Enabling options for review: from training and transparency to author-centered AI tools - openRxiv
Peer review is widely viewed as a critical aspect of biomedical communication. Ideally, it provides authors with feedback so they can improve manuscripts and gives readers, particularly nonspecialists...
openrxiv.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Excited to launch an openRxiv partnership with the scientist-run AI review service qed (@qedscience.bsky.social), the brainchild of @odedrechavi.bsky.social 1/n
openrxiv.org/enabling-rev...
openrxiv.org/enabling-rev...
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
I was a UC PPFP fellow when I was a postdoc at UCSD. This program is invaluable--aside from support for two years of my postdoc, I received excellent mentoring from faculty at the UCs. This fellowship set me up for success and gave me a cohort of fellow postdocs who are now UC faculty. 1/2
A devastating set of decisions on the part of UC leadership to withdraw support from our nationally recognized postdoc program that prioritizes research excellence combined with addressing our university public service mission. www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
UC to Stop Funding Systemwide Postdoc Program
Established in 1984 to encourage women and minority Ph.D.s to pursue academia, the program has attracted right-wing criticism for prioritizing diverse candidates.
www.insidehighered.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I was a UC PPFP fellow when I was a postdoc at UCSD. This program is invaluable--aside from support for two years of my postdoc, I received excellent mentoring from faculty at the UCs. This fellowship set me up for success and gave me a cohort of fellow postdocs who are now UC faculty. 1/2
What news, wow. Gone as it came, despite an (alleged?) decade of funds at hand. I guess there is still a great deal of work to do to find viable alternative paths to academia
www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a...
Arena BioWorks, an ambitious biomedical institute backed by billionaires, abruptly shuts down
Exclusive: Arena Bioworks, the buzzy research institute that launched with $500 million to support a decade of scientific R&D, is abruptly shutting down, STAT has learned.
www.statnews.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:10 AM
What news, wow. Gone as it came, despite an (alleged?) decade of funds at hand. I guess there is still a great deal of work to do to find viable alternative paths to academia
www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a...
A good evening all around, finally 💪
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 AM
A good evening all around, finally 💪
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
Multi-Year funding analysis, a 🧵
I have been trying to find a robust way of quantifying and understanding multi-year (forward funding).
First, some background:
Most NIH grants are for multiple years (2 to 5, typically).
However, the are usually funded on an annual basis.
1/18
I have been trying to find a robust way of quantifying and understanding multi-year (forward funding).
First, some background:
Most NIH grants are for multiple years (2 to 5, typically).
However, the are usually funded on an annual basis.
1/18
November 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Multi-Year funding analysis, a 🧵
I have been trying to find a robust way of quantifying and understanding multi-year (forward funding).
First, some background:
Most NIH grants are for multiple years (2 to 5, typically).
However, the are usually funded on an annual basis.
1/18
I have been trying to find a robust way of quantifying and understanding multi-year (forward funding).
First, some background:
Most NIH grants are for multiple years (2 to 5, typically).
However, the are usually funded on an annual basis.
1/18
Contributed to this piece in Cancer Discovery on the new NIH organoid effort. Amid all uncertainty, good to see real commitment to human models and standards. Organoids are central to how we study disease and test therapies- it is about time the system reflects it
🔗 aacrjournals.org/cdnews/news/...
🔗 aacrjournals.org/cdnews/news/...
October 31, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Contributed to this piece in Cancer Discovery on the new NIH organoid effort. Amid all uncertainty, good to see real commitment to human models and standards. Organoids are central to how we study disease and test therapies- it is about time the system reflects it
🔗 aacrjournals.org/cdnews/news/...
🔗 aacrjournals.org/cdnews/news/...
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
I will try to do a tweetorial about this paper when I have more energy but this is really important data. It looks (tentatively, preliminarily) that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines might significantly enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy (subject to many caveats).
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint blockade
Nature - mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
rdcu.be
October 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
@joann-trejo.bsky.social, @marymunson4.bsky.social and I have a commentary in @natcellbio.nature.com on recent attacks on DEI in biomedical research: "If scientific research, especially biomedical research, is meant to serve everyone, then it requires that everyone has an opportunity to participate"
Scaling back DEI programmes and the loss of scientific talent
Nature Cell Biology - Programmes that support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in science are under attack in the USA. Data indicate that diversity in the scientific workforce increases...
www.nature.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
@joann-trejo.bsky.social, @marymunson4.bsky.social and I have a commentary in @natcellbio.nature.com on recent attacks on DEI in biomedical research: "If scientific research, especially biomedical research, is meant to serve everyone, then it requires that everyone has an opportunity to participate"
What incredible news today. I feel so grateful to have worked closely with Tony over the years and to have witnessed firsthand his vision, energy, and commitment to advancing functional precision medicine. I cannot think of a steadier (and more needed) force at the NCI at this time /n
We want to congratulate our President, Dr. Tony Letai, on his appointment as Director of the NCI. This announcement marks an historic moment for cancer research. Dr. Letai has been a tireless advocate and visionary leader for functional precision medicine 🧵
www.nih.gov/news-events/...
www.nih.gov/news-events/...
Secretary Kennedy Swears in Dr. Anthony Letai as Director of the National Cancer Institute
Dr. Letai will serve as NCI’s 18th director.
www.nih.gov
September 29, 2025 at 10:04 PM
What incredible news today. I feel so grateful to have worked closely with Tony over the years and to have witnessed firsthand his vision, energy, and commitment to advancing functional precision medicine. I cannot think of a steadier (and more needed) force at the NCI at this time /n
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
Dear Editor,
Thank you for submitting your review request to Tomer Ullman.
As you may know, we decline a substantial proportion of reviews requests without sending them out for further evaluation. After careful consideration, we regret to say we cannot offer to take on this review.
Thank you for submitting your review request to Tomer Ullman.
As you may know, we decline a substantial proportion of reviews requests without sending them out for further evaluation. After careful consideration, we regret to say we cannot offer to take on this review.
September 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Dear Editor,
Thank you for submitting your review request to Tomer Ullman.
As you may know, we decline a substantial proportion of reviews requests without sending them out for further evaluation. After careful consideration, we regret to say we cannot offer to take on this review.
Thank you for submitting your review request to Tomer Ullman.
As you may know, we decline a substantial proportion of reviews requests without sending them out for further evaluation. After careful consideration, we regret to say we cannot offer to take on this review.
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
I was going to write a whole post about all this incredible work with all these amazing scientists and organizations, but I’ll just leave @stellatecomms.bsky.social design sizzle reel here.
It speaks for itself.
youtu.be/x2O7DkpIoCA?...
It speaks for itself.
youtu.be/x2O7DkpIoCA?...
Stellate Communications Reel
YouTube video by Stellate Communications
youtu.be
September 16, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I was going to write a whole post about all this incredible work with all these amazing scientists and organizations, but I’ll just leave @stellatecomms.bsky.social design sizzle reel here.
It speaks for itself.
youtu.be/x2O7DkpIoCA?...
It speaks for itself.
youtu.be/x2O7DkpIoCA?...
Not sure what the best way forward is. The general confusion, lack of funding, and the slow destruction of the NIH feels hopeless, if you let it. For now I'll keep circling back to science, and know very well I am privileged to be able to do so. We all got to cope somehow, it's such a long way to go
September 9, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Not sure what the best way forward is. The general confusion, lack of funding, and the slow destruction of the NIH feels hopeless, if you let it. For now I'll keep circling back to science, and know very well I am privileged to be able to do so. We all got to cope somehow, it's such a long way to go
Glad to share this podcast, it was a fun one to record!
Quite the ride of a conversation too… from my beginnings in protein aggregation, to patient-derived organoids for rare cancers, with detours through twitter and the shifting world of science comms
stemcellpodcast.com/ep-303-organ...
Quite the ride of a conversation too… from my beginnings in protein aggregation, to patient-derived organoids for rare cancers, with detours through twitter and the shifting world of science comms
stemcellpodcast.com/ep-303-organ...
We have a new episode out with Dr. @alice.soragnilab.com from UCLA!
Learn about her research on patient-derived #organoids to study #RareDiseases: https://bit.ly/47v66C5
Learn about her research on patient-derived #organoids to study #RareDiseases: https://bit.ly/47v66C5
September 4, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Glad to share this podcast, it was a fun one to record!
Quite the ride of a conversation too… from my beginnings in protein aggregation, to patient-derived organoids for rare cancers, with detours through twitter and the shifting world of science comms
stemcellpodcast.com/ep-303-organ...
Quite the ride of a conversation too… from my beginnings in protein aggregation, to patient-derived organoids for rare cancers, with detours through twitter and the shifting world of science comms
stemcellpodcast.com/ep-303-organ...
Science persists ✊
Good to keep that in mind, these days
Good to keep that in mind, these days
Today I'm starting a new chapter as a tenured Associate Professor of Planetary Behavioral Data Science at the University of Copenhagen (@cphsodas.bsky.social & Department of Psychology)! It has been an Orwellian kind of year for scientists. But as history shows, science persists.
September 2, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Science persists ✊
Good to keep that in mind, these days
Good to keep that in mind, these days
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
“‘She uncovered the social experience of women in science’ — the lab assistants who never became managers, the geologists poring over data in government offices while their male peers were doing fieldwork, those who despite their advanced degrees didn’t get hired or promoted, or who were sidelined…”
Here's a #GiftLink for those who want to read the full NYT obit of historian of science & gender, Margaret Rossiter. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/s... #histSTM 🧪🗃️
August 30, 2025 at 3:26 PM
“‘She uncovered the social experience of women in science’ — the lab assistants who never became managers, the geologists poring over data in government offices while their male peers were doing fieldwork, those who despite their advanced degrees didn’t get hired or promoted, or who were sidelined…”
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
Learn more about Dr. Soragni's patient-derived #organoids in our next episode!
Big day for our team: our pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) organoid paper is now up on bioRxiv!
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Patient-derived organoids reveal hypoxia-driven plasticity and therapeutic vulnerabilities in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas
Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare chromaffin cell-derived neuroendocrine tumors of sympathetic (catecholamine-producing) or parasympathetic (nonsecretory) origin, frequently driven...
www.biorxiv.org
August 29, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Learn more about Dr. Soragni's patient-derived #organoids in our next episode!
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
"CDC basically imploded yesterday and now it’s truly in shambles,” said @kkjetelina.bsky.social. Also: vaccines? My latest:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
RFK Jr faces calls to quit as CDC chief fired and senior staff resign: ‘an embarrassment’
Susan Monarez’s ousting and four top resignations follow vaccine confusion, leaving US health agencies in turmoil
www.theguardian.com
August 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
"CDC basically imploded yesterday and now it’s truly in shambles,” said @kkjetelina.bsky.social. Also: vaccines? My latest:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Was a guest on the @stemcellpodcast.com a couple days ago, and we spent a fair bit reminescing on old twitter, and talking about bsky, linkedin and how critical it is to remain connected despite all challenges. We all miss old twitter, but we made do
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Bluesky now platform of choice for science community
It’s not just you. Survey says: “Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky”…
arstechnica.com
August 28, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Was a guest on the @stemcellpodcast.com a couple days ago, and we spent a fair bit reminescing on old twitter, and talking about bsky, linkedin and how critical it is to remain connected despite all challenges. We all miss old twitter, but we made do
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
"Tao is one of the most prominent mathematicians and academics to publicly oppose the administration’s actions, calling them an “existential threat” to his field, and academic science, more broadly. He said public advocacy is a priority over his research, for now."
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
The 'Mozart of Math' rarely speaks about politics. The wide-ranging cuts to science funding made him change that.
UCLA's Terence Tao called the Trump administration's actions an "existential threat" to academic research in the U.S.
www.nbcnews.com
August 28, 2025 at 1:48 PM
"Tao is one of the most prominent mathematicians and academics to publicly oppose the administration’s actions, calling them an “existential threat” to his field, and academic science, more broadly. He said public advocacy is a priority over his research, for now."
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
Big day for our team: our pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) organoid paper is now up on bioRxiv!
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Patient-derived organoids reveal hypoxia-driven plasticity and therapeutic vulnerabilities in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas
Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare chromaffin cell-derived neuroendocrine tumors of sympathetic (catecholamine-producing) or parasympathetic (nonsecretory) origin, frequently driven...
www.biorxiv.org
August 26, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Big day for our team: our pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) organoid paper is now up on bioRxiv!
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Big day for our team: our pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) organoid paper is now up on bioRxiv!
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Patient-derived organoids reveal hypoxia-driven plasticity and therapeutic vulnerabilities in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas
Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare chromaffin cell-derived neuroendocrine tumors of sympathetic (catecholamine-producing) or parasympathetic (nonsecretory) origin, frequently driven...
www.biorxiv.org
August 26, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Big day for our team: our pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) organoid paper is now up on bioRxiv!
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This was a tour de force across 6 institutions, 37 authors, building patient-derived organoids from 35 PPGL patients /🧵
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Soragni:Lab
Really excited that our manuscript on Synovial Sarcoma is now online. Link to Open Access PDF: tinyurl.com/55bnssws
A summary🧵 :
A summary🧵 :
August 18, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Really excited that our manuscript on Synovial Sarcoma is now online. Link to Open Access PDF: tinyurl.com/55bnssws
A summary🧵 :
A summary🧵 :
Very exciting finding in Ewing sarcoma, with the identification of CXADR as a critical regulator of metastatic spread. This opens the opportunity to target AKT signaling in combos to reduce metastases in a disease where treatments for advanced cancer are lacking and largely ineffective. Brilliant!
Very proud on our stellar Alina Ritter for her frist first-author paper:
Targeting CXADR-mediated AKT signaling suppresses tumorigenesis and enhances #chemotherapy efficacy in #Ewing #sarcoma
tinyurl.com/3kcs3bc9
@dkfz.bsky.social
@uniheidelberg.bsky.social
@nct-heidelberg.bsky.social
Targeting CXADR-mediated AKT signaling suppresses tumorigenesis and enhances #chemotherapy efficacy in #Ewing #sarcoma
tinyurl.com/3kcs3bc9
@dkfz.bsky.social
@uniheidelberg.bsky.social
@nct-heidelberg.bsky.social
August 11, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Very exciting finding in Ewing sarcoma, with the identification of CXADR as a critical regulator of metastatic spread. This opens the opportunity to target AKT signaling in combos to reduce metastases in a disease where treatments for advanced cancer are lacking and largely ineffective. Brilliant!
UC reports today that $584 million in grant funding to UCLA has been suspended. This adds to months of delays, some previous cancellations, and uncertainty around fund disbursement even prior to the freeze. Where do we go from here
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
UC says Trump's grant suspensions at UCLA total $584 million, a 'death knell' for research
UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk and UC President James B. Milliken on Wednesday said that federal grants suspensions total $584 million to the campus and university leaders will negotiate with the Trump a...
www.latimes.com
August 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM
UC reports today that $584 million in grant funding to UCLA has been suspended. This adds to months of delays, some previous cancellations, and uncertainty around fund disbursement even prior to the freeze. Where do we go from here
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Well, the times sure are unprecedented. This UCLA federal funding freeze piles onto the uncertainty, hiring remains frozen, much (most?) of funding is now also frozen and science feels minutes away from flatlining. CPR time is now. Hate all of this, for all of us.
August 4, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Well, the times sure are unprecedented. This UCLA federal funding freeze piles onto the uncertainty, hiring remains frozen, much (most?) of funding is now also frozen and science feels minutes away from flatlining. CPR time is now. Hate all of this, for all of us.