![](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/node/12899/main_image_large/fish-1920x384_0.jpg)
Cancer Biology & Genetics Program
The Richard White Lab
Research
![Dr. Richard White](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/12899/person/white_fish-facility_170509_046_3x2.jpg?h=cad4df64)
Zebrafish models of cancer
We are interested in the ways in which developmental programs affect cancer progression, and how these programs are altered by the microenvironment. To address these questions, we primarily utilize the zebrafish as a model, given its strengths in genetic manipulation and imaging, which is enhanced in our previously developed transparent casper strain of fish. We additionally use human pluripotent stem cell models of cancer to complement what can be done in vivo in the fish. With state-of-the-art genetic engineering and high-resolution imaging, our goal is to dissect these interactions to understand how tumors start and eventually metastasize to new locations.
![Richard White Lab](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/node/12899/images/white-lab-211203-004-1200x800.jpg)
Featured News
![A Look Inside the Richard White Lab at MSK](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200/public/node/241405/main_image/white_fish-facility_170509_046-1200x800.jpg)
![An illustration of a fish fin touching a human finger](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200/public/node/243250/main_image/white-webpage.jpg)
![A collage of photos showing a zebrafish with GFP-labeled melanocytes, magnified GFP-labeled melanocytes, and hPSC-derived melanocytes growing in a dish.](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200/public/node/231961/main_image/fish2-1200-800.jpg)
Publications Highlights
Baggiolini A+, Callahan SJ+, Montal E, Weiss JM, Trieu T, Tagore MM, Tischfield SE, Walsh RM, Suresh S, Fan Y, Campbell NR, Perlee SC, Saurat N, Hunter MV, Simon-Vermot T, Huang TH, Ma Y, Hollmann T, Tickoo SK, Taylor BS, Khurana E, Koche RP, Studer L*, White RM* (2021). +co-authors, *co-corresponding authors. Developmental chromatin programs determine oncogenic competence in melanoma. Science 373 (1104): abc1048. PMCID pending.
Weiss JM, Hunter MV, Tagore M, Ma Y, Misale S, Simon-Vermot T, Campbell NR, Newell F, Wilmott JS, Johansson PA, Thompson JF, Long GV, Pearson JV, Mann GJ, Scolyer RA, Waddell N, Montal ED, Huang T, Jonsson P, Donoghue MTA, Harris CC, Taylor BS, Ariyan CE, Solit DB, Wolchok JD, Merghoub T, Rosen N, Lezcano-Lopez C, Hayward NK, White RM (2021). Anatomic position determines oncogenic specificity in melanoma. in revision, available at: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.14.383083v1
Campbell NR, Rao A, Hunter MV, Sznurkowska MK, Briker L, Zhang M, Baron M, Heilman S, Deforet M, Kenny C, Ferretti LP, Huang TH, Perlee SC, Garg M, Nsengimana J, Saini M, Montal E, Tagore M, Newton-Bishop J, Middleton MR, Corrie P, Adams DJ, Rabbie R, Aceto N, Levesque MP, Cornell RA, Yanai I, Xavier JB*, White RM* (2021). *co-corresponding authors. Cell state diversity promotes metastasis through heterotypic cluster formation in melanoma. Developmental Cell, 2021 Sep 13:S1534-5807(21)00677-8
Hunter MV+, Moncada R+, Weiss JM, Yanai I*, White RM* (2021). +co-authors, *co-corresponding authors. Spatial transcriptomics reveals the architecture of the tumor/microenvironment interface, Nature Communications, in press, available at https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.05.368753v1
People
![Dr. Richard White](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/12899/person/white_fish-facility_170509_046_3x2.jpg?h=cad4df64)
Richard White, MD, PhD
- Cancer biologist and oncologist Richard White uses the zebrafish to dissect interactions between tumor cells and the microenvironment that promote metastasis.
- Albany Medical College: M.D., Ph.D.
- Yale New Haven Hospital: Internal Medicine Residency & Chief Residency
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute & Massachusetts General Hospital: Medical Oncology Fellowship
- Children’s Hospital Boston & Harvard Medical School: Postdoctoral Fellowship
- [email protected]
- Email Address
Members
![Nelly Cruz](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237811/main_image/cruz-nelly-211203-021-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Maya Emmons-Bell](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237844/main_image/emmons-bell-maya-211203-001-1200x800.jpg)
![Ting-Hsiang (Richard) Huang](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/158539/3x2/huang_190206_05_1200x800.jpg)
![Miranda Hunter](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/165874/main_image/hunter-miranda_210716_011-1200x800.jpg)
![Eleanor Johns](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229318/main_image/johns-eleanor_210716_001-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Emily B. Johnson](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/106545/main_image/johnson-emily-211203-014-1200x800.jpg)
![Dianne Lumaquin](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/165877/main_image/lumaquin-dianne_210716_006-1200x800.jpg)
![Yilun Ma](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229618/main_image/ma-yilun_210716_002-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Emily Montal](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229621/main_image/montal-emily_210716_012-1200x800.jpg)
![Sarah Perlee](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229321/main_image/perlee-sarah_210716_017-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Shruthy Suresh](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/209521/main_image/suresh-shruthy_200904_009-1200x800.jpg)
![Mohita Malay Tagore](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/136507/3x2/tagore_170308_14_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Judy Wang](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237847/main_image/wang-judy-211203-004-1200x800.jpg)
![Nelly Cruz](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237811/main_image/cruz-nelly-211203-021-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Senior Research Scientist
![Maya Emmons-Bell](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237844/main_image/emmons-bell-maya-211203-001-1200x800.jpg)
Research Fellow
![Ting-Hsiang (Richard) Huang](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/158539/3x2/huang_190206_05_1200x800.jpg)
Postdoctoral Fellow
![Miranda Hunter](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/165874/main_image/hunter-miranda_210716_011-1200x800.jpg)
Postdoctoral Fellow
![Eleanor Johns](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229318/main_image/johns-eleanor_210716_001-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Graduate Student
![Emily B. Johnson](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/106545/main_image/johnson-emily-211203-014-1200x800.jpg)
Assistant
![Dianne Lumaquin](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/165877/main_image/lumaquin-dianne_210716_006-1200x800.jpg)
MD-PhD student
![Yilun Ma](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229618/main_image/ma-yilun_210716_002-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Graduate Student
![Emily Montal](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229621/main_image/montal-emily_210716_012-1200x800.jpg)
Research Fellow
![Sarah Perlee](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/229321/main_image/perlee-sarah_210716_017-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Graduate Student
![Shruthy Suresh](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/209521/main_image/suresh-shruthy_200904_009-1200x800.jpg)
Research Fellow
![Mohita Malay Tagore](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/136507/3x2/tagore_170308_14_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Research Fellow
![Judy Wang](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237847/main_image/wang-judy-211203-004-1200x800.jpg)
Research Technician
![Scott J. Callahan](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26591/image/callahan-1200.jpg?h=10d202d3)
- Princeton University
![Thomas Beckham](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/165883/3x2/beckham_02_3x2_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Nathaniel Campbell](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/136501/3x2/campbell_170308_04_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Charlotte LaPlante](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237814/main_image/laplante-charlotte-211203-012-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Grant Robinson, BS](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/20056/3x2/robinson_170308_03_3x2.jpg)
- BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
![Theresa Simon-Vermot](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/136504/3x2/simon-vermot_170308_09_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Kelsey Temprine, BS](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26597/image/temprine-1200.jpg?h=10d202d3)
- University of Texas Austin
![Antonius Van Boxtel](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/158545/3x2/van-boxtel_181018_05_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Joshua Weiss](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/158542/3x2/weiss_190206_03_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Milena Zimmer](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/103946/3x2/zimmer2.jpg)
Lab Alumni
![Scott J. Callahan](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26591/image/callahan-1200.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Vice President, Director of Medical Strategy at Havas Health & You, New York, NY
![Thomas Beckham](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/165883/3x2/beckham_02_3x2_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Clinical Fellow
![Nathaniel Campbell](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/136501/3x2/campbell_170308_04_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
MD–PhD student
![Sara Fischer](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26592/image/fischer-1200.jpg)
Assistant
![Emily Kansler](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26593/image/kansler-1200.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Senior Research Technician
![Isabella Kim](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26594/image/kim-1200.jpg)
Research Technician
![Charlotte LaPlante](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/237814/main_image/laplante-charlotte-211203-012-1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Graduate Student
![Liz Perry](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26595/image/perry-1200.jpg)
Postdoctoral Fellow
![Kajan Ratnakumar](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26596/image/ratnakumar-1200.jpg)
Postdoctoral Fellow
![Grant Robinson, BS](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/20056/3x2/robinson_170308_03_3x2.jpg)
Graduate Student
![Theresa Simon-Vermot](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/136504/3x2/simon-vermot_170308_09_3x2.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Senior Technician
![Kelsey Temprine, BS](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26597/image/temprine-1200.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Graduate Student
![Antonius Van Boxtel](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/158545/3x2/van-boxtel_181018_05_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
![Joshua Weiss](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/158542/3x2/weiss_190206_03_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
MD, PhD Student
![Maomao (Xiang) Zhang](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/136510/3x2/zhang_170308_016_3x2.jpg)
![Yan Zhang](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/26598/image/zhang-1200.jpg)
Graduate Student
![Milena Zimmer](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/103946/3x2/zimmer2.jpg)
Lab Affiliations
Achievements
- Josie Robertson Investigator (2012-2017)
- NIH Directors New Innovator Award
- Young Mentor Award, Melanoma Research Alliance
- Young Investigator Award, American Association for Cancer Research/American Society of Clinical Oncology
- Young Mentor Award, Harvard Medical School
Read more
- Outstanding Educator Award, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine
Open Positions
To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center
To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs
Get in Touch
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Lab Head Email