Omer H. Yilmaz

Omer H. Yilmaz

Associate Professor of Biology; Intramural Faculty, Koch Institute

Omer H. Yilmaz explores the impact of dietary interventions on stem cells, the immune system, and cancer within the intestine.

617-324-7633

Phone

76-553G

Office

Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

Location

617-253-3016

Assistant Phone

Education

  • PhD, 2008, University of Michigan; MD, 2008, University of Michigan Medical School
  • BS, 1999, Biochemistry and Physics, University of Michigan

Research Summary

The adult intestine is maintained by stem cells that require a cellular neighborhood, or niche, consisting in part of Paneth cells. Our laboratory will investigate the molecular mechanisms of how intestinal stem cells and their Paneth cell niche respond to diverse diets to coordinate intestinal regeneration with organismal physiology and its impact on the formation and growth of intestinal cancers.  By better understanding how intestinal stem cells adapt to diverse diets, we hope to identify and develop new strategies that prevent and reduce the growth of cancers involving the intestinal tract that includes the small intestine, colon, and rectum.

Awards

  • AAAS Martin and Rose Wachtel Cancer Research Award, 2018
  • Pew-Stewart Trust Scholar, 2016-2020
  • Sidney Kimmel Scholar, 2016-2020
  • V Foundation Scholar, 2014-2017
  • Harold M. Weintraub Award, 2007

Key Publications

  1. In vivo genome editing and organoid transplantation models of colorectal cancer and metastasis. Roper, J, Tammela, T, Cetinbas, NM, Akkad, A, Roghanian, A, Rickelt, S, Almeqdadi, M, Wu, K, Oberli, MA, Sánchez-Rivera, FJ et al.. 2017. Nat Biotechnol 35, 569-576.
    doi: 10.1038/nbt.3836PMID:28459449
  2. High-fat diet enhances stemness and tumorigenicity of intestinal progenitors. Beyaz, S, Mana, MD, Roper, J, Kedrin, D, Saadatpour, A, Hong, SJ, Bauer-Rowe, KE, Xifaras, ME, Akkad, A, Arias, E et al.. 2016. Nature 531, 53-8.
    doi: 10.1038/nature17173PMID:26935695
  3. Dietary and metabolic control of stem cell function in physiology and cancer. Mihaylova, MM, Sabatini, DM, Yilmaz, ÖH. 2014. Cell Stem Cell 14, 292-305.
    doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2014.02.008PMID:24607404
  4. mTORC1 in the Paneth cell niche couples intestinal stem-cell function to calorie intake. Yilmaz, ÖH, Katajisto, P, Lamming, DW, Gültekin, Y, Bauer-Rowe, KE, Sengupta, S, Birsoy, K, Dursun, A, Yilmaz, VO, Selig, M et al.. 2012. Nature 486, 490-5.
    doi: 10.1038/nature11163PMID:22722868
  5. Pten dependence distinguishes haematopoietic stem cells from leukaemia-initiating cells. Yilmaz, OH, Valdez, R, Theisen, BK, Guo, W, Ferguson, DO, Wu, H, Morrison, SJ. 2006. Nature 441, 475-82.
    doi: 10.1038/nature04703PMID:16598206

Recent Publications

  1. SOX17 enables immune evasion of early colorectal adenomas and cancers. Goto, N, Westcott, PMK, Goto, S, Imada, S, Taylor, MS, Eng, G, Braverman, J, Deshpande, V, Jacks, T, Agudo, J et al.. 2024. Nature 627, 636-645.
    doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07135-3PMID:38418875
  2. Microbial regulation of ferroptosis in cancer. Zhang, Q, Goswami, S, Yilmaz, O. 2024. Nat Cell Biol 26, 41-42.
    doi: 10.1038/s41556-023-01321-7PMID:38168771
  3. Dietary fat and lipid metabolism in the tumor microenvironment. Goswami, S, Zhang, Q, Celik, CE, Reich, EM, Yilmaz, ÖH. 2023. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 1878, 188984.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188984PMID:37722512
  4. Immune microenvironment and lymph node yield in colorectal cancer. Lee, SH, Pankaj, A, Neyaz, A, Ono, Y, Rickelt, S, Ferrone, C, Ting, D, Patil, DT, Yilmaz, O, Berger, D et al.. 2023. Br J Cancer 129, 917-924.
    doi: 10.1038/s41416-023-02372-1PMID:37507544
  5. Clinical, pathological, genetics and intratumoural immune milieu of micropapillary carcinoma of the colon. Deshpande, V, Lee, SH, Crabbe, A, Pankaj, A, Neyaz, A, Ono, Y, Rickelt, S, Sonal, S, Ferrone, CR, Ting, DT et al.. 2023. J Clin Pathol , .
    doi: 10.1136/jcp-2023-208895PMID:37258254
  6. Lymphatics and fibroblasts support intestinal stem cells in homeostasis and injury. Goto, N, Goto, S, Imada, S, Hosseini, S, Deshpande, V, Yilmaz, ÖH. 2022. Cell Stem Cell 29, 1246-1261.e6.
    doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.06.013PMID:35931033
  7. Bispecific antibodies seek out colon cancer stem cells. Goto, N, Yilmaz, ÖH. 2022. Nat Cancer 3, 379-380.
    doi: 10.1038/s43018-022-00368-zPMID:35469016
  8. Dietary suppression of MHC class II expression in intestinal epithelial cells enhances intestinal tumorigenesis. Beyaz, S, Chung, C, Mou, H, Bauer-Rowe, KE, Xifaras, ME, Ergin, I, Dohnalova, L, Biton, M, Shekhar, K, Eskiocak, O et al.. 2021. Cell Stem Cell 28, 1922-1935.e5.
    doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.08.007PMID:34529935
  9. High-fat diet-activated fatty acid oxidation mediates intestinal stemness and tumorigenicity. Mana, MD, Hussey, AM, Tzouanas, CN, Imada, S, Barrera Millan, Y, Bahceci, D, Saiz, DR, Webb, AT, Lewis, CA, Carmeliet, P et al.. 2021. Cell Rep 35, 109212.
    doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109212PMID:34107251
  10. 100 Years of Exploiting Diet and Nutrition for Tissue Regeneration. Cheng, CW, Yilmaz, ÖH. 2021. Cell Stem Cell 28, 370-373.
    doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.02.014PMID:33667357
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