Mentor Name: Loren Walensky

This summer research project will explore how cancer cells adapt their metabolism to support growth and survival, with a focus on fatty acid oxidation (FAO) as a potential metabolic vulnerability in pediatric cancers. The work builds on prior discoveries from our laboratory showing that an anti-apoptotic mitochondrial protein can directly interact with and regulate a key FAO enzyme, thereby altering long-chain fatty acid metabolism and supporting cancer cell fitness.Teagan Lind will contribute to an ongoing effort to evaluate peptide-based molecular tools that selectively engage this metabolic enzyme and modulate its activity. Through this work, Teagan will gain hands-on training in peptide chemistry, protein–protein interaction analysis, and metabolic enzyme assays, while contributing to a broader effort to define and exploit metabolic dependencies in pediatric cancer. The overarching goal is to advance peptide reagents that can serve as selective probes of FAO regulation and inform future therapeutic strategies for targeting pediatric cancer metabolism.