E. Montal

Mechanical confinement governs phenotypic plasticity in melanoma

This study shows mechanical confinement drives phenotype switching in melanoma via chromatin remodeling mediated by HMGB2.

Epigenetic reprogramming of melanoma cell state through fatty acid β-oxidation and Toll like receptor 4 signaling

This study shows that fatty acid β-oxidation and TLR4 signaling drive melanoma progression by altering histone acetylation and inflammatory gene expression.

Modeling the effects of genetic and diet induced obesity on melanoma progression in zebrafish.

The paper develops a zebrafish model to study how genetic and diet-induced obesity affect melanoma progression, finding sex-specific differences in tumor incidence.

Lipid droplets are a metabolic vulnerability in melanoma

This study identifies lipid droplets as a metabolic vulnerability in melanoma by linking the pigmented cell state to increased fatty acid uptake and oxidative metabolism.

An in vivo reporter for tracking lipid droplet dynamics in transparent zebrafish

The paper develops a transgenic reporter to track lipid droplet dynamics in zebrafish and melanoma cells, revealing nitric oxide's role in regulating lipid droplets in both contexts.

Cell state diversity promotes metastasis through heterotypic cluster formation in melanoma

This study shows that melanoma metastasis is promoted by heterotypic clusters formed between proliferative and invasive cell states, mediated by TFAP2.

Developmental chromatin programs determine oncogenic competence in melanoma

The paper shows that BRAFV600E transforming ability depends on the cell of origin's transcriptional program, with neural crest and melanoblasts being more susceptible due to higher chromatin modifying enzyme expression and ATAD2-SOX10 complex formation.