Sajin Patel

Current Research Project: My research focuses on the pathogenesis of prostate cancer, with a particular emphasis on how adrenal androgens (androgen precursors) contribute to the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer, the most common treatment-resistant form of the disease. I am especially interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that allow these androgens to sustain tumor growth despite androgen-deprivation therapy. Recently, my work has focused on the adrenal androgen 5-androstenediol, which appears to play a more significant role in prostate cancer progression than has been previously recognized. This line of inquiry not only fills a critical gap in the literature but also has potential implications for improving therapeutic strategies.

How they got involved with research: I first got involved in research at Duke by cold emailing a wide range of labs, meeting with mentors, and ultimately choosing the one that I felt would best support my growth as a young researcher. I joined the McDonnell Lab last fall, where I’ve devoted significant time through independent study course credit and full-time research this past May. This experience laid the foundation for my summer research internship at Dana-Farber, where I continued work on prostate cancer. With the support of URS resources, including independent study awards, I was able to pursue my own questions and develop projects that built on these experiences.