Maria Bhatt

Maria Bhatt investigates how cancer cells hijack ribosome biogenesis to support uncontrolled growth, identifying vulnerabilities in rRNA processing and ribosome assembly that can be therapeutically exploited. Her laboratory has characterized how oncogenes including MYC drive ribosome biogenesis hyperactivation and how RNA polymerase I inhibition selectively targets cancer cells. She has contributed to understanding nucleolar stress responses as tumor suppressive mechanisms. Her work connects fundamental ribosome biology with cancer therapeutic opportunities.