Karen Cichowski

Karen Cichowski at Harvard has contributed to understanding NF1 (neurofibromatosis type 1) tumor suppressor biology and its role as a RAS GAP whose loss leads to constitutive RAS-MAPK pathway activation. Her mouse models of NF1 loss and her preclinical work demonstrating MEK inhibitor activity in NF1-driven tumors contributed to the development of selumetinib (MEK inhibitor) for NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas — a significant advance for patients with this condition.