Sahar Nissim is an Assistant Professor in the PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Harvard Medical School. Her research focuses on pancreatic cancer, particularly the earliest biological processes that lead to its development. Dr. Nissim is dedicated to answering fundamental questions related to pancreas biology, including how transcription factor networks and epigenetic barriers maintain normal cell identity in the exocrine pancreas. She is investigating how oncogenic mutations, inflammation, and obesity may destabilize cell identity and promote cancer development. Her lab employs cutting-edge methodologies such as single-cell spatial transcriptomics, epigenomics, and CRISPR-mediated somatic engineering to explore these questions using mouse models and patient samples. Nissim lab seeks to develop interception strategies that can interfere with the earliest events in pancreatic cancer development to prevent disease progression, addressing the challenges posed by this deadly cancer and the ineffectiveness of current treatment options. Nissim's work is part of the Hale Family Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at Dana-Farber, where she collaborates with a vibrant community of investigators in the field.