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

ohyilmaz@mit.edu

Email

Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

Location

Lab Website
Elizabeth Galoyan

Assistant

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. Early immune evasion in colorectal cancer: interplay between stem cells and the tumor microenvironment. Goto, N, Agudo, J, Yilmaz, ÖH. 2025. Trends Cancer , .
    doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2025.04.016PMID:40382216
  2. Editorial: Biomarkers and mechanisms of gastrointestinal diseases. Isik, Z, Calibasi-Kocal, G, Yilmaz, O. 2024. Front Genet 15, 1516063.
    doi: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1516063PMID:39568678
  3. Dietary and metabolic effects on intestinal stem cells in health and disease. Shay, JES, Yilmaz, ÖH. 2025. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 22, 23-38.
    doi: 10.1038/s41575-024-00980-7PMID:39358589
  4. Selecting the Most Relevant Mouse Strains for Evaluating Radiation-Induced Multiple Tissue Injury after Leg-Shielded Partial-Body Gamma Irradiation. Down, JD, Cornwall-Brady, MR, Huang, W, Hurwitz, M, Floyd, SR, Yilmaz, OH. 2024. Radiat Res 202, 510-522.
    doi: 10.1667/RADE-24-00058.1PMID:39066627
  5. β2-microglobulin expression is associated with aggressive histology, activated tumor immune milieu, and outcome in colon carcinoma. Lee, SH, Pankaj, A, Rickelt, S, Ting, D, Ferrone, C, Patil, DT, Yilmaz, O, Berger, D, Deshpande, V, Yilmaz, O et al.. 2024. Am J Clin Pathol 162, 500-508.
    doi: 10.1093/ajcp/aqae066PMID:38869306
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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.. 2024. J Clin Pathol 77, 387-393.
    doi: 10.1136/jcp-2023-208895PMID:37258254
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