Journal Club: TRI-611, a selective, brain-penetrant molecular glue degrader of ALK
Nature (2026) Abstract Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) have transformed the treatment landscape of ALK fusion-positive non-small-cell lung carcinoma (ALK-positive NSCLC), but the limited options for patients who progress on approved TKIs highlight a continued need for an orthogonal therapeutic approach1,2. TRI-611 is a potent, brain-penetrant molecular glue degrader of ALK fusion proteins with the potential to address this need. TR
Journal Club: Persistent and transient senescent cells contribute to brain-barrier development
Cell Volume 189, Issue 14p4295-4309.e6July 09, 2026 Highlights • Distinct senescent states arise across brain-barrier cell lineages • Endothelial cells and macrophages engage a transient inflammatory senescent state • Choroid plexus epithelium maintains a persistent non-inflammatory senescent state • Senescent cell ablation alters vascular patterning and CSF homeostasis Summary Establishment of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier requires


Highlight: The kinase CK1α coordinates the initiation and termination of the cGAS-STING pathway
Cell Death Diff Abstract The cGAS-STING pathway is an evolutionarily conserved DNA-sensing mechanism that triggers innate immune responses. cGAS and STING play dual roles in tumorigenesis, promoting antitumor immunity and cell death while fueling tumor growth and metastasis. However, the mechanisms fine-tuning this pathway remain elusive. Using complementary proteomic approaches, we report that Casein Kinase 1 alpha (CK1α) operates as a bimodal regulator of the cGAS-STING pat
Journal Club Partial downregulation of platelet glycoprotein VI by low affinity antibodies confers sustained and safe antithrombotic protection
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy volume 11, Article number: 264 (2026) Abstract Glycoprotein (GP) VI is a platelet-specific activating receptor for collagen and fibrin(ogen), and a promising target for antithrombotic therapy. Inhibitory Fab fragments against GPVI provide robust protection in mouse models of arterial thrombosis and ischemic stroke without impairing hemostasis in mice or humans. However, their short in vivo half-life limits their suitability for long-te


Highlight: Linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex contributes to NLRP3-mediated pyroptotic cell death
iScience Summary Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by infectious or sterile insults culminates in pyroptosis, a lytic and highly inflammatory form of programmed cell death. A safeguarded two-step process tightly regulates pyroptosis: priming, which drives NF-κB signaling, followed by execution, ultimately leading to plasma membrane rupture. Linear (Met1-linked) ubiquitination, catalyzed by the E3 ligase complex LUBAC, was previously shown to participate in pyroptosis, but


Highlight: Caspase-3 cleaves CYLD to restrict interferon signaling during mitochondrial apoptosis
EMBO Rep Abstract Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization is a pivotal event in programmed cell death by apoptosis, leading to the activation of the cysteine protease caspase-3 (CASP3) and the release of mitochondrial nucleic acids. This release triggers the activation of the Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 (IRF3) transcription factor and the subsequent IRF3-mediated type I interferon production and cell death. CASP3 ensures apoptosis remains immunologically silent, thou


SOAPtreat 2026: Mock International Panel
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Journal Club: Daraxonrasib or Chemotherapy in Previously Treated Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
Published May 31, 2026 - DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa26055 Abstract Background Current therapies offer limited benefit for patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC). Aberrant activation of the RAS pathway is the key driver of PDAC, with oncogenic RAS mutations present in more than 90% of cases. Daraxonrasib is an oral RAS(ON) multiselective, tri-complex inhibitor of the active guanosine triphosphate–bound state of mutant and wild-type RAS. Me
Journal Club: Global analysis of cancer cell responses to USP9X inhibition
EMBO J 2026 May;45(9):3306-3331. doi: 10.1038/s44318-026-00742-y. Epub 2026 Apr 7. Abstract The ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) USP9X is a human deubiquitinase (DUB) with a large number of described targets and cellular roles. In cancer, USP9X is found as an oncogene or as a tumour suppressor depending on context, and its utility as a target for cancer therapy remains unclear. We here describe WEHI-092, a piperazine-based USP9X-specific small-molecule inhibitor, which bind
Targeted degradation of endogenous YAP by nanobody bioPROTAC inhibits tumor progression
Nature Communications volume 16, Article number: 9374 (2025) Abstract Yes-associated protein (YAP), a key effector of the Hippo pathway, regulates gene expression and promotes tumorigenesis. YAP is conventionally considered “undruggable”, however, targeted protein degradation offers a promising approach to address the challenges associated with targeting this oncogenic protein. In this study, through naïve nanobody phage library screening, we identify multiple nanobodies agai