Overview
The Counter lab studies the molecular mechanisms that underly to the onset of human cancers, with the goal to prevent cancer initiation or progression. The lab uses ultra-senstitive sequencing platforms and proteomic-coupled CRISPR/Cas9 screens to elucidate the factors that mold the mutational patterns selected to initiate the process of tumorigenesis. See https://counter.labs.duke.edu/ for further details.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology
·
2021 - Present
Pharmacology & Cancer Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology
·
2011 - Present
Pharmacology & Cancer Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology
·
2020 - Present
Radiation Oncology,
Clinical Science Departments
Professor of Cell Biology
·
2022 - Present
Cell Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
·
2002 - Present
Duke Cancer Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Recent Scholarly Works
CDK8 Inhibition Releases the Muscle Differentiation Block in Fusion-driven Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma.
Journal article Cancer Discov · July 14, 2026 Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (aRMS) is a fusion-driven pediatric cancer with poor survival and limited therapeutic options. To uncover novel vulnerabilities, we employed complex-based analysis of the DepMap functional genomic data, identifying CDK8 as a depen ... Full text Link to item CiteFusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma oncofusions share a common interactome.
Journal article Nat Commun · May 28, 2026 Fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma (FP-RMS) arises from at least seven distinct oncofusions sharing a common PAX3/7 N-terminal DNA-binding domain fused to divergent C-terminal partners. How different oncofusions produce the same cancer was unknown. Here we s ... Full text Link to item CiteKRASG12R-Mutant Pancreatic Cancer Features Limited ERK/MAPK Transcriptional Activity and a Distinctive Tumor Microenvironment.
Journal article Cancer Res · April 15, 2026 UNLABELLED: Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) harboring KRASG12R mutations have increased overall survival relative to patients with KRASG12D/V mutations. To investigate the mechanisms underlying this differential outcome, we developed ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Genetics and Genomics Training Grant
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2026 - 2031Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2026 - 2031Identification and targeting of essential regions of driver fusion oncoproteins in rhabdomyosarcoma
ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by V Foundation for Cancer Research · 2025 - 2030View All Grants
Education
McMaster University (Canada) ·
1996
Ph.D.
McMaster University (Canada) ·
1990
B.S.