Hi there! My name is Dhiraj Kumar. I did my PhD from National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune India, where I studied the melanoma cancer stem cells (CSCs) and breast cancer metastasis. I elucidated, Notch1-MAPK signaling axis regulates CSCs-mediated melanoma growth and lung metastasis. In another study, I showed Epoxyazadiradione treatment blocks the breast tumor growth and metastasis. Next, I joined MD Anderson Cancer Center as a Postdoctoral Fellow, where I studied the mechanisms of tumor dormancy reactivation and immune evasion. Currently, I am working as an Associate Research Scientist in Prof. Giancotti lab at Columbia University. Here, I am diversifying my research competencies in different metastatic and dormancy models of breast cancer. I am extensively working on the functional elucidation of tumor intrinsic long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in dormancy and metastatic reactivation and their role in the tumor microenvironment using cutting edge technologies including CRISPR-Cas9, scRNA-seq and ChIRP-seq. Together, we are trying to uncover the role of adaptive immune response in various cancer models during metastatic outgrowths. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, trying out different cuisine, hiking and exploring the nature with my family and friends.