The following is reprinted from the October 21 issue of the UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Holden Highlights newsletter. See other features from this series.

The Emerging Leaders Council (ELC) is a distinguished group of rising experts—researchers, physicians, and scientists—committed to advancing cancer care and research. The ELC fosters collaboration among its members, enabling them to share insights, pioneer new research directions, and accelerate the development of innovative cancer treatments. Today, we are excited to spotlight member Sarah Short, PhD, and her work and involvement with the ELC.

Can you describe your current research focus and how you envision it contributing to cancer research or treatment?

Short: My overall research program focuses on uncovering how key mechanisms of intestinal homeostasis are altered in tumorigenesis and contribute to disease progression. Cancer cells love to co-opt mechanisms that are part of normal cell biology to promote their own growth and survival! One mechanism of focus is the regulation of reactive oxygen species, which can have both homeostatic and pathogenic roles depending on the biological context. Our lab is also heavily invested in patient-derived organoid technology, which we can use to better model tumor biology and treatment responses in the lab. Together, we anticipate that our research will uncover new therapeutic targets and drivers of colon cancer progression.

Where did you receive your academic and research training, and how have those experiences shaped your approach to your work today?

Short: My previous scientific training was completed at Vanderbilt University. I received my PhD in Cancer Biology and postdoctoral training in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. My interest in cancer biology was sparked in my role as a research technician in one of the Vanderbilt research labs. There, I met two amazing women who were our lab managers, and both were cancer survivors and very active patient advocates. Seeing their passion and strength in their battles against cancer motivated me to pursue a scientific PhD. Today, I continue to focus on translational research and continuously try to find new ways that our research can positively impact the lives of patients like them.

What types of collaborations are you seeking, and how do you think interdisciplinary partnerships can enhance your research?

Short: The intestine is a fascinatingly complex environment! As researchers in this space, we have to account for a multitude of interactions that can impact disease development, including epithelial cells, infiltrating immune cells, the gut microbiome, the enteric nervous system, bile acids, and luminal nutrients. It is impossible for a single group to be an expert in all these facets, so many of our collaborations are aimed at better understanding complex gut biology and its impact on disease. We are also in contact with clinical collaborators to identify questions we can address with organoid technology that will help them improve patient care in the clinic.

Finally, what inspired you to join the Emerging Leaders Council, and how do you see this role helping you grow personally and professionally in your field?

Short: I was inspired to join the ELC to learn how the cancer center works and meet other junior faculty members across the HCCC. You have SO many questions as a new faculty member, and the ELC has been hugely beneficial in helping me find my footing here at Iowa as I get my new research program up and running. I am currently serving as ELC Vice Chair in the hopes of continuing to grow the ELC and ensuring other new faculty members have the same benefits I did and then some. I am very excited to find new avenues to promote the professional growth of our HCCC junior faculty over the coming years.