Christina Breneman

Education

  • University of Vermont, 2023, BS in Biological Sciences

Biography

I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences in 2023. Following graduation, I joined Dr. Chun Han’s lab within the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology at Cornell University. There, I supported the development of MAGIC, a CRISPR-based genetic toolkit for recombinase-independent mosaic analysis that drastically accelerates genetic screening in Drosophila. I leveraged the MAGIC toolkit to screen hundreds of chromosomal deficiencies, identifying neurodegeneration candidate genes by analyzing neuronal phenotypes via confocal microscopy. Driven to translate these skills and findings to a clinical context, I transitioned to my position at the Dana Farber Brigham Cancer Center in Boston, MA. There, I managed a portfolio of ~10 Phase II-III oncology clinical trials with particular emphasis on biomarker-driven patient stratification. Most recently, I evaluated clinical data for 80+ oncology patients, supporting the development of a prognostic vision-language AI model aimed at improving tumor segmentation. By pursuing a PhD, I hope to merge my genetics background and clinical trial insights to explore personalized medicine applications, including biomarker discovery and identification of novel therapeutic targets. I am particularly interested in approaches to enhance oncological risk assessment, strengthen prevention strategies, optimize treatment efficacy, and improve patient outcomes. Outside of the lab, I enjoy running, reading, spending time with my cats, and practically any outdoor activity!

Publications

  • Aktan C, Breneman CM, Argun O, Seeley N, Atalar C, Robinson K, Hilibrand AS, Li S, Mamidanna S, Sayan M. An interferon-response transcriptomic signature of lymphovascular invasion in prostate cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026;27(5):2167. doi:10.3390/ijms27052167.
  • Chan J, Tuac Y, Argun O, Breneman CM, Seeley N, Moriarty HN, Kumar KS, Chipidza FE, Leeman JE, Sayan M. Association between cribriform architecture and lymphovascular invasion in prostate cancer. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2026;15(3):1032. doi:10.3390/jcm15031032.
  • Hilibrand AS, Tuac Y, Argun O, Breneman CM, Oh M, Moningi S, Leeman JE, Sayan M. Age-specific impact of cribriform pattern in prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy. Clinical Medicine Insights: Oncology. 2025;19:11795549251363324. doi:10.1177/11795549251363324.
  • Aktan C, Mamidanna S, Cobb C, Atalar C, Chan J, Breneman CM, Argun O, Sayan M. Transcriptomic profile of perineural invasion in prostate cancer identifies prognostic gene signatures. Biomedicines. 2025;13(8):1789. doi:10.3390/biomedicines13081789.
  • Huang Y, Almeida Machado Costa C, Vergara Ruiz N, Wang X, Jevitt A, Breneman CM, Han C, Deng W. Polyploidy promotes transformation of epithelial cells into nonprofessional phagocytes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). 2025;122(30):e2427293122. doi:10.1073/pnas.2427293122.