Patrick Grohar Laboratory

The Grohar Laboratory employs a bench to bedside approach to develop targeted therapies for pediatric solid tumors. The Grohar lab has primarily focused on the therapeutic targeting of EWS-FLI1 for Ewing sarcoma. EWS-FLI1 is the defining molecular lesion of Ewing sarcoma and multiple independent studies have established a dependence of the tumor on the continued activity of EWS-FLI1. However, EWS-FLI1 is a transcription factor and widely regarded as a challenging if not “undruggable” target. Our overarching goal is to identify novel therapies that target EWS-FLI1. To accomplish this, we employ a combination of unbiased screening approaches and mechanistic pharmacology to identify and interrogate therapeutic vulnerabilities that arise from EWS-FLI1 driven transcription. These efforts will allow us to translate therapies to the clinic more effectively and extend our findings to other tumors that depend on similar molecular targets.