Mioara Larion, Ph.D.
- Center for Cancer Research
- National Cancer Institute
- Building 37, Room 1136A
- Bethesda, MD 20892
- 240-760-6825
- 240-541-4466
- mioara.larion@nih.gov
RESEARCH SUMMARY
Dr. Larion is a trained biochemist who leads the Cancer Metabolism Research Program at the Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB). She is interested in the metabolic needs of cancer cells and how they process nutrients, in order to develop targeted approaches that delay tumor growth. She utilizes a set of technologies, including Raman imaging microscopy and metabolomics, to quantify patterns in proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids levels at subcellular resolution. This is a very important endeavor for glioma tumors, which are known to exhibit high heterogeneity.
Dr. Larion’s lab is specifically focused on identifying metabolic vulnerabilities in IDH1-mutated gliomas for clinical application, as well as developing technologies that enable these discoveries. Her lab has shown that lipid pathways are important for IDH1-mutant glioma growth, and that targeting specific enzymes from either fatty acid synthesis or sphingolipid pathway leads to specific cellular death in these cells. She is also interested in developing biomarkers to help image disease progression and monitor patients’ response to treatment.
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Areas of Expertise
Mioara Larion, Ph.D.
Research
As head of the the Cancer Metabolism Research Program at the Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB), Dr. Larion observes the direct impact that cancer metabolism has on patient diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Because IDH mutations cause metabolic reprogramming, Dr. Larion’s research focuses on exploiting this phenomenon for therapeutic development and imaging studies that aid early diagnosis. Dr. Larion’s laboratory has shown that lipid pathways are important for IDH1-mutant glioma growth, and that targeting specific enzymes from either fatty acid synthesis or the sphingolipid pathway leads to specific cellular death in these cells (see figure).
Intracellular proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids can be quantified at the level of cells and individual organelles using Raman spectroscopy, which Dr. Larion leveraged for this project. Capturing changes in these molecules exposes the intrinsic vulnerabilities of IDH-mutant glioma cells. Studying this disease from various angles leads to better diagnostic, surgical, and therapeutic benefits for patients. Dr. Larion's research could also help create a “metabolomic map," outlining each patient's nutrient availability, mutational profile, and metabolic dependency.
Publications
Advances in measuring cancer cell metabolism with subcellular resolution
IDH1 mutations induce organelle defects via dysregulated phospholipids.
Sphingolipid Pathway as a Source of Vulnerability in IDH1mut Glioma.
Metabolic Reprogramming Associated with Aggressiveness Occurs in the G-CIMP-High Molecular Subtypes of IDH1mut Lower Grade Gliomas
Toward Single-Organelle Lipidomics in Live Cells.
Biography
Mioara Larion, Ph.D.
Dr. Larion trained as a biochemist and biophysicist during her Bachelor of Science degree in Romania, and continued to study these same topics during her Master of Science degree and Ph.D. from Florida State University. In graduate school, her work involved biophysics and enzymology. During this time, she developed a passion for learning about how enzymes function, and how their dysfunction can cause or exacerbate certain diseases. Shortly thereafter, she joined the Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB) as an investigator, and was introduced to the field of oncology. She now leads the NOB’s Cancer Metabolism Research Program.
In addition to her research, Dr. Larion is also involved in a number of committees. She served as the co-chair of the first NCI-SNO Joint Symposium on Targeting CNS Tumor Metabolism and co-leads the NOB’s Visiting Scholars Program. She has also participated in NIH Grant Review Panels for metabolomics-related research, and organized the Metabolomics Association of North America Conference.
Honors, Awards and Leadership
- Organizer, 1st Metabolomics Association of North America - 2019
- 2018-2020 Performance Award
- Member of the “Precision Medicine Task Force”, Metabolomics Society – 2018 to present
- Member, NIH Review Panel for Metabolomics ZRG1 BST-X (50) – 2016
- Co-Chair, Visiting Scholars Program for Neuro-Oncology Branch – 2016 to present
- Co-Chair, 1st NCI-SNO Symposium on Targeting CNS Tumor Metabolism – 2020
- Chair of the NIH Cancer Metabolism Interest Group – 2021 to present
Select Societies and Initiatives
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
- Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO)
- Biophysical Society
Job Vacancies
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Team
News
Building a Toolkit to Examine How Cancer Cells Redirect Their Energy
November 28, 2022
A technique called Raman spectroscopy has revolutionized the way Dr. Mioara Larion’s lab understands tumor cell metabolism—and may ultimately help researchers design more effective cancer drugs. Read more >
Targeting Cancer Metabolism to Improve Care and Treatment for People with Brain and Spine Tumors
March 25, 2021
How can we be innovative in our approach to research in order to improve outcomes for central nervous system tumors? That is the driving question behind Dr. Larion's Cancer Metabolism Research Program. Read more >
Neuro-Oncology Branch 2020 Year in Review
January 22, 2021
Together, our clinical team, research laboratories, and staff have made meaningful advancements to improve outcomes for patients and their families impacted by brain and spine tumors. Read more >
Celebrating National Mentoring Month
January 31, 2020
We celebrate our impactful mentors in the Neuro-Oncology Branch for National Mentoring Month. Our postdoctoral fellows share their love for science and how their mentors have made their experience at NIH more rewarding. Read more >