Patricia Tiburcio, PhD

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Research Background

I began my research training as an undergraduate at the University of the Philippines where my thesis examined integrin dynamics in cancer progression. After a year with the Dengue Research Group at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines, I moved to Salt Lake City for graduate training at the University of Utah, where my dissertation focused on the impact of recurrent mutations in gliomas.

In 2019, I joined the Chen lab to study actinomycin resistance and recurrent microRNA processing gene mutations in Wilms tumors. My work has since expanded to preclinical models of other DICER1-related pediatric cancers and the mechanisms driving their evolution. Ultimately, I aim to translate discoveries from bench to bedside and improve patient care.

When I’m Not in the Lab

Depending on the time of year, I am either on the mountains skiing ’til my shins fall off, hanging out with ostriches, making lumpia from scratch, listening to audiobooks and podcasts at 2.5x speed, or traipsing through estate sales and antique shops.