See you in Phoenix!
I will be speaking at the @aaas.org Annual Meeting 2026, where I will present our work that was selected by @science.org Breakthroughs of 2025.
“Neurons Make a Deadly Donation to Cancer Cells,”

Friday, February 13, 2026
11:30 AM to 12:30 PM MST
Phoenix, Arizona

6 Otherworldly Deep-Sea Images from 2025 From the first sighting of a colossal squid in the wild to a seriously goofy octopus, 2025 delivered some astounding photos from the ocean’s depths

From the first sighting of a colossal squid in the wild to a seriously goofy octopus, 2025 delivered some astounding photos from the ocean’s depths

Neuronal transfer of mitochondria to tumour cells promotes cancer spread Neurons often receive organelles called mitochondria from other cells. It emerges that neurons donate mitochondria that support cancer-cell spread.

Neurons can support cancer initiation, growth and migration and can drive therapy resistance through various mechanisms

go.nature.com/4rZrnLH

Thank you Kevin!

Thanks a lot Jeremy! Looking forward for the CSHL Methods in Cancer Neuroscience workshop!

🎉🎉🎉 Our work on Cancer Neuroscience and Mitochondria Transfer has been selected as a runner-up for the 2025 Breakthrough of the Year by @science.org !

I am deeply honored by this recognition and grateful to our team and collaborators who made this possible.

Link: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Fresh batch of Hot Plasmids here! Find new tools for:
🧠 Neural cell-surface proteomics
🔋 Nerve-to-cancer mitochondrial transfer @greletlab.bsky.social
🔬 Red calcium biosensors @massecklab.bsky.social & @piatkevich.bsky.social
✂️ CRISPRa-AAV for adipocytes @nadavahituv.bsky.social
& more!

New at Addgene!

New at Addgene! MitoTRACER, a cre-lox based reporter of cell-to-cell mitochondrial transfer. Used to study transfer from nerve to cancer cells and its impact on metabolism and metastasis.
By @greletlab.bsky.social

🔗 https://twp.ai/4itAyW

Identification of optimal fluorophores for use in the Drosophila embryo www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09....

Neurons Can Transfer Mitochondria to Cancer Cells Cancer-associated neurons can transfer their mitochondria to cancer cells, boosting their metabolism and function. Mitochondria might also serve as a measure of risk of metastases. Future therapies co...

Our work on intercellular transfer of mitochondria and cancer metastasis has been featured in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research @theaacr.bsky.social

📖 Read it here: aacrjournals.org/cdnews/news/...

🎉 NIH-MERIT Award (R37): I have received the NOA for my first R01 grant from the NIH. I am honored that it has been selected for conversion into an R37 MERIT Award, which allows funding for up to seven years! Learn more: grants.nih.gov/funding/acti...

Cancer cells steal mitochondria from nerve cells to fuel their spread Cancer cells can acquire energy-generating structures called mitochondria from nearby nerve cells, which seems to aid their spread, a discovery that could lead to new treatments

🧠⚡ Check out this article about our work on mitochondrial transfers from nerves to cancer cells, recently featured in New Scientist.

www.newscientist.com/article/2485...

Thanks for sharing!

Nerve-to-cancer transfer of mitochondria during cancer metastasis A study reports the development of a method to trace intercellular transfer of mitochondria, and demonstrates that cancer cells that receive mitochondria from neurons have enhanced metastatic capabilities.

The @greletlab.bsky.social show enhanced metastatic capabilities of cancer cells that receive mitochondria from neurons in primary tumors, shedding new light on how the nervous system supports cancer metabolism and metastatic dissemination.

‘Wildest thing’: solar-powered slug steals chloroplasts and stores them for emergencies Marine creatures house contraband structures in special organelles, which the animal raids for food in times of need.

Did you know that sea slugs steal chloroplasts from algae as portable snacks?! Neither did I, but a new Cell paper demonstrates that they do. 🐌🧪

My favorite part is the researchers called the storage for these stolen hors d’oeuvres “kleptosomes” 😂🥰

Summary from Nature & Cell paper linked below.

Center of Rho ophiuchi cloud complex, 7.5h LRGB. #astrophotography

Thanks Jeremy! Hope to see you soon. I enjoyed our discussions in Houston last year.

Neuronal transfer of mitochondria to tumour cells promotes cancer spread Neurons often receive organelles called mitochondria from other cells. It emerges that neurons donate mitochondria that support cancer-cell spread.

Here is an interesting and detailed highlight of our work.
"Neuronal transfer of mitochondria to tumour cells promotes cancer spread"
- News and views - section of Nature.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Cancer cells get power boost by stealing mitochondria from nerves The theft probably helps the cells to spread around the body, and preventing it could provide a path to treatment, researchers say.

Check out our work highlight in the "News" section of Nature.
"Cancer cells get power boost by stealing mitochondria from nerves"
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Tumors may get supercharged by acquiring powerhouses of nerve cells Scientists spot mitochondria traveling through “bridges” into nearby cancer cells

www.science.org/content/arti...

When I began studying mitochondria transfer during my master's internship in 2016, a committee member dismissed it as artificial and irrelevant to (patho)physiology. It's great to see growing evidence from recent studies proving otherwise 😊

Nerve-to-cancer transfer of mitochondria during cancer metastasis - Nature A study reports the development of a method to trace intercellular transfer of mitochondria, and demonstrates that cancer cells that receive mitochondria from neurons have enhanced metastatic capabili...

Happy to share our latest study is now out in Nature!

Cancer cells steal mitochondria from neurons to boost metabolism, resist stress & spread.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#CancerGetsNervous #Metastasis #Mitochondria #Neuron #CancerResearch #Nature

Nerve-to-cancer transfer of mitochondria during cancer metastasis - Nature A study reports the development of a method to trace intercellular transfer of mitochondria, and demonstrates that cancer cells that receive mitochondria from neurons have enhanced metastatic capabili...

new out in Nature, a really cool study www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Neuronal transfer of mitochondria to tumour cells promotes cancer spread Neurons often receive organelles called mitochondria from other cells. It emerges that neurons donate mitochondria that support cancer-cell spread.

and the News & Views
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Cancer cells get power boost by stealing mitochondria from nerves The theft probably helps the cells to spread around the body, and preventing it could provide a path to treatment, researchers say.

as well as a news story www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Nerve-to-cancer transfer of mitochondria during cancer metastasis - Nature A study reports the development of a method to trace intercellular transfer of mitochondria, and demonstrates that cancer cells that receive mitochondria from neurons have enhanced metastatic capabilities.

Nature research paper: Nerve-to-cancer transfer of mitochondria during cancer metastasis

https://go.nature.com/46c474I

Neuronal transfer of mitochondria to tumor cells promotes cancer spread @nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
@greletlab.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...