Welcome to the Whitaker lab at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
Our DNA is susceptible to damage based on our lifestyle, environmental exposures, and even cancer treatments. Using a combination of structural biology, biochemical, and cell-biology techniques we explore the interplay between DNA damage, DNA repair, and the transcriptional regulation of cancer-related genes. We hope, by researching DNA repair, to pave the way for the development of therapeutics that can selectively enhance or stop DNA repair based on a patient’s need.
Farewell to Christopher Merlo!
We bid a heartfelt farewell to our Scientific Technician, Christopher Merlo, and thank him for his dedication, hard work, and countless contributions to the lab. Chris has been an invaluable member of the team, consistently going above and beyond in everything he does. His reliability, attention to detail, and willingness to support others made a lasting impact on both the lab and everyone who had the pleasure of working with him. Beyond his professional contributions, Chris brought positivity, kindness, and a genuine sense of care to the lab. He was not only a colleague but also a friend to many. We are grateful for all that he has done and will truly miss his presence in the lab. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavors and continued success in all that he pursues!
Congratulations Chantal!
Congratulations to Chantal Kontor on earning her Master’s degree in Cancer Biology. This achievement reflects her dedication and hard work throughout her graduate training, and marks an important milestone as she continues her academic journey and transitions into PhD studies within the lab. We are proud of you!
Carson Cohen Receives 2026 C. David Allis Travel Award
Congratulations to Carson Cohen on being selected as a 2026 recipient of the Cancer Epigenetics Institute C. David Allis Travel Award at Fox Chase Cancer Center which entitles him to $2,000 in travel funds to attend conferences/workshops for his project titled “Oxidative DNA Lesions within the KRAS Promoter G-quadruplex Modulate Transcription by Altering Base Excision Repair Activity”. This award recognizes his strong commitment to research and scientific excellence and, we are excited to see his continued contributions to the field.
Chantal Kontor Defends Master’s Thesis
Congratulations to Chantal Kontor on successfully defending her Master’s literature review in April 2026 and advancing into the Molecular & Cell Biology and Genetics (MCBG) PhD Program at Drexel University. In recognition of her outstanding performance, the PhD candidacy examination requirement was waived. We are excited to see her continued growth and accomplishments as she advances in her doctoral studies!
Congratulations to Millie on Advancing to PhD Candidacy
Congratulations to Millie Coombes on successfully defending her thesis proposal in December 2025 and being elevated to PhD candidacy. We are proud of this important milestone and look forward to her continued success in graduate research!!!
Whitaker Lab at the 2025 Genome Instability: Discovery to Personalized Medicine Symposium
Whitaker Lab members attended the 2025 “Genome Instability – Discovery to Personalized Medicine” Symposium, where researchers and trainees from across Philadelphia institutions gathered to discuss advances in genome instability and personalized medicine. Lab members also presented their research poster at the symposium.
Whitaker Lab Participates in the 2025 Fox Chase Cancer Center Annual Research Symposium
Carson Cohen, Millie Coombes, and Chantal Kontor presented their research posters at the 2025 Fox Chase Cancer Center Annual Symposium in Philadelphia, PA.
During the symposium, Millie Coombes received the Outstanding Poster Award in recognition of her research presentation. Christopher Merlo was also recognized with the Outstanding Service Award for his contributions and support at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
We congratulate all of our lab members on their accomplishments and participation in the 2025 FCCC Annual Research symposium!!!
Christopher Merlo receives 1st place 2025 STAR Award
Congratulations to Scientific Technician Christopher Merlo on receiving 1st Place in the 2025 STAR Award for Excellence in Research Support at Fox Chase Cancer Center in recognition of his outstanding contributions to research support. We are proud of his accomplishments and look forward to his continued success!!!
Millie Coombes Receives Best Student Poster Award at EMGS 2025
Congratulations to our lab graduate student Millie Coombes for receiving the Best Student Poster Award at the 2025 Environmental Mutagenesis & Genomics Society (EMGS) Conference in Rochester, NY, in recognition of her outstanding research poster presentation. This award recognizes Millie’s excellent research presentation and contributions to the field, and we look forward to her future accomplishments!!!
Congratulations to our EMGS 2025 Travel Award Recipients
Congratulations to our lab graduate students Carson Cohen, Millie Coombes and Chantal Kontor, who received travel awards to attend and present their research posters at the 2025 Environmental Mutagenesis & Genomics Society (EMGS) Conference in Rochester, NY!!
October 22nd, 2021
This week several things started to fall into place for the new lab! We have started to acquire quotes for our larger equipment needs, our website is live, we have secured the PERFECT lab space, and we are officially recruiting folks to join the lab.
See below for full descriptions of the postdoc and technician openings in our group!
You can learn more about the diversity and inclusion lab posters pledge here.
The Whitaker lab finds home at Fox Chase cancer Center
June 29th, 2021
I am thrilled to announce I will be joining The Molecular Therapeutics Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia, PA) as a tenure-track Assistant Professor. The Whitaker lab will open in March 2022 and will investigate the interplay between DNA repair and transcriptional regulation of cancer genes!