Ray Pillai, MD

@humam_kadara @ElizSMcKenna @CD_AACR Thanks!

@RayPillaiMD @ElizSMcKenna @CD_AACR Congrats, Ray!

I'm excited to share my latest manuscript published in @CD_AACR (doi.org/10.1158/2159-8…). We identified a novel mechanism in which LKB1 mutant lung tumors evade immune responses. This is my final paper as a postdoctoral fellow and serves as the basis of my future lab!🧵

The proposed FY2027 budget includes a $5.8B (−12.3%) cut to the NIH. United for Medical Research calculated this could cost ~50,000 jobs and $11.6B in economic activity, with 26 states losing >$100M each. A tragedy for science, patients, and the economy. #NIH

Congratulations to @RayPillaiMD @AACR NextGen awardee from @Perlmutter_CC & his mentor @ThalesPapaG for their @CD_AACR paper! #AACR26 LIF-Induced Tumor Plasticity Establishes an Immunosuppressive Myeloid Niche in LKB1-Mutant #LungCancer aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscover…

@Aiims1742 @ThalesPapaG @AACR @Perlmutter_CC @CD_AACR Thanks!

Congratulations to 2026 @AACR NextGen Star @RayPillaiMD for his simultaneous publication with his #AACR26 presentation: LIF-induced Tumor Plasticity Establishes an Immunosuppressive Myeloid Niche in LKB1-mutant Lung Cancer aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscov/a… @NYULangone

I was also thrilled to simultaneously present this work in a Major Symposium (eppro01.ativ.me/appinfo.php?pa…) at #AACR Thank you for selecting me as a 2026 @AACR NextGen Star (aacrmeetingnews.org/ray-pillai-md/)!

This work would not be possible without the support of my mentors @ThalesPapaG and Sergei Koralov (@NYUGSOM_Path, @Perlmutter_CC). I am grateful for their training which has provided me the skills to start building my own independent lab researching tumor-immune cell crosstalk.

#AACR26 late breaking abstract on early data from 1st line Daraxonrasib monotherapy in #PancreaticCancer >90% disease control rate aacrjournals.org/cancerres/arti… @EileenMOReilly @GarridoLagunaMD @DrShubhamPant @RevMedicines

Congratulations to the 2026 @AACR NextGen Stars! Read about their work in this month's issue, and don't miss their presentations throughout #AACR26. doi.org/10.1158/2159-8…

We’re welcoming globally renowned cancer scientist @ThalesPapaG to the Salk Institute faculty this September 2026—expanding our strengths in cancer metabolism, immunology, and the ways tumors communicate with the rest of the body. PapaG’s work begins with foundational questions: how tumors rewire energy use to survive under stress, how they reshape the immune environment, and how signals from the nervous system can influence disease progression. This is the kind of early, curiosity-driven science that opens new paths to future therapies. Read the full announcement here: salk.edu/news-release/t… #salkinstitute #cancerresearch #immunology

Insights on Future Directions in Cancer Research from the 2026 AACR NextGen Stars aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscover… Congratulations @RayPillaiMD @nyulangone @Perlmutter_CC for being in this exceptional group! You can hear all the NextGen Stars speak on their work at #AACR26

I’m excited to share new work out of the lab at @NYULangone led by @kenjifujihara! We took a first principles approach to evaluating #ferroptosis induction for cancer therapy via targeting the SLC7A11-glutathione-GPX4 axis. biorxiv.org/content/10.648…

So pleased to be able to share this work, the result of an IIT designed by Paul Eder @YaleCancer and Geoff Shapiro @DanaFarber. I wish we had been able to demonstrate more activity but this is a humbling reminder of how much we have yet to understand about DNA damage repair.