Danielle Brasino PhD, Michael Brasino PhD, and Ashley Volaric MD
The UVM Cancer Center Cancer Host and Environment research program recently welcomed three new members, Danielle Brasino, PhD, Michael Brasino, PhD, and Ashley Volaric, MD. Below is a Q and A featuring each of the new members.
What brought you to UVM?
Danielle Brasino, PhD – While applying for faculty positions, I concentrated on institutions that cultivated high-impact research as well as educating undergraduate and graduate students. Not only does the University of Vermont join both of these sides of a great university environment, but it also boasts great numbers of interdisciplinary collaborations to tackle complex research problems and improve translation to the public. And best of all? It does it all in a vibrant small town filled with warm, kind people nestled in a gorgeous part of the country.
Michael Brasino, PhD – Like many others, I was driven to pursue a career in academia because I enjoy both teaching and research. As a research-intensive university with robust graduate and undergraduate programs, UVM is an excellent place to pursue both these endeavors. It doesn’t hurt that it is in a beautiful part of the country, with a close knit and vibrant surrounding community.
Ashley Volaric, MD – The mountains! My family and I love living in the woods and being so close to nature trails and hiking. I love driving to work or walking in and seeing the beautiful Green Mountains. UVM also has a wonderful culture of inclusivity, respect, and academic focus.
Why did you join the UVM Cancer Center?
Danielle Brasino, PhD – A large focus of my research program is on the link between gut microbiota and their impact on cancer progression and response to therapy. To maximize translation of our findings to improve outcomes for patients, I want to collaborate with clinicians and other cancer researchers. The UVM Cancer Center facilitates these connections and supports these collaborative efforts.
Michael Brasino, PhD – A primary focus of my research is developing new methods for early detection of cancer. The Cancer Center provides a great platform to meet potential collaborators and gain valuable feedback on this endeavor.
Ashley Volaric, MD – It is a great opportunity to connect with like-minded colleagues committed to patient care and basic/translational/clinical research. The Cancer Center also has unique opportunities to support early-stage investigators such as myself.
Tell us about your research? What is the biggest takeaway?
Danielle Brasino, PhD – My lab uses organs-on-chip and other cell culture models to study interactions between the gut microbiome and diseases throughout the body. By using these models, we can isolate communication factors between two organs that might be quite spread out within a patient. These studies will allow us to identify behaviors of the gut microbiome that promote disease or ways that gut microbes improve patient response to therapy. By building understanding of these mechanisms, we hope to design targeted interventions that can improve patient outcomes without disrupting their day-to-day life.
Michael Brasino, PhD – As a postdoc in CEDAR, I was able to initiate and lead my own research project focused on genetically engineering bacteria to act as lung cancer detecting probes. In the envisioned screening system, individuals at risk of developing lung cancer would inhale genetically engineered probiotic bacteria, which would detect localized biomarkers surrounding a nascent tumor and in turn secrete synthetic biomarkers which could be more easily detected. This would increase the ease and sensitivity of lung cancer screening and would be particularly impactful for the rural catchment area of the UVMCC, where lung cancer continues to be the largest cause of cancer related death and travel for repeated low dose CT scans (the currently recommended screening) is particularly burdensome. In comparison, cancer detecting bacteria could feasibly be administered and their synthetic biomarkers detected at home.
Ashley Volaric, MD – I study the genetic influence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) on B-cell lymphoma development in both regional and global patient populations. I am interested in how the virus engages immune cells called B-cells to transform them into a malignant cancer cell. Underlying this research focus, is my commitment to global and public health. I am establishing local, national, and international collaborations for both research and education purposes. I currently am working on strengthening collaborations with colleagues at Weill Cornell Medicine and University of North Carolina as well as abroad in Malawi, Zambia, and Uganda. My goal is to develop a centralized tissue biorepository of EBV-associated B-cell lymphomas from local and global patient populations for ongoing epi-transcriptomic studies conducted in a collaborative, capacity-building manner with our global partners.
Why cancer research?
Danielle Brasino, PhD – Cancer impacts so many people and at a wide variety of life stages. Not only does cancer impact patient lifespan, but often side-effects of treatment can limit healthspan as well. Over the course of my career, I have been inspired by incredible mentors who shared their passion for understanding the biology of cancer so we might treat and prevent it more effectively. Together, these factors have motivated me to find better ways of harnessing the gut microbiome, which has far reaching effects on maintaining or disrupting our overall health, to limit cancer risk and improve therapeutic efficacy.
Michael Brasino, PhD – Like many others, cancer has personally affected my family. So, I truly understand the exclamation “cancer sucks” and want my work to benefit those who need these words. I also appreciate that cancer represents the next frontier in medicine. Every day, the study of cancer is leading to fundamental breakthroughs in different aspects of human health, from aging to the microbiome. Cancer is an awful disease, and I wish we did not have to work on it, but there has never been a more exciting time to do so.
Ashley Volaric, MD – I am a cancer physician. My clinical work entails reviewing blood, bone marrow, and tissue biopsies and providing diagnoses, typically of hematolymphoid malignancy. I have a particular interest clinically and through research in B-cell lymphomas. Understanding the effect of an oncogenic, longstanding but pervasive virus like EBV- well, that is just plain fascinating to me. I also have a passion for using my research platform to engage with global partners and help further laboratory capacity-building efforts.
What is an interesting fact about you/something you would want people to know?
Danielle Brasino, PhD – When not growing cells in lab, I love to grow plants. In fact, during the cross country move here I brought with me over 80 houseplants.
Michael Brasino, PhD – While at the University of Washington, my team won the grand prize at the international Genetically Engineered Machines competition (iGEM). Which is an annual undergraduate competition focused on projects in synthetic biology. I’ve since coached several iGEM teams at CU Boulder and OHSU.
Ashley Volaric, MD – I enjoy a cool fall day looking at the trees with a stout beer in hand.