Bina Desai, PhD

Dr. Bina Desai earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pune, India, before relocating to the United States to pursue advanced studies. She completed her master’s degree at Long Island University, New York, where her thesis focused on evaluating investigational compounds for their anti-cancer properties in pre-clinical models. Dr. Desai then joined Dr. Robert Benezra’s lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC, conducting research on first-in-class pan-Id antagonists in breast cancer pre-clinical models. In 2018, she became a doctoral candidate in Dr. Andriy Marusyk's lab, where her thesis investigated tumor microenvironment-mediated resistance in targetable models of non-small cell lung cancer. Currently, as a postdoctoral scholar in the Marusyk lab, Dr. Desai applies spatial transcriptomics to explore the role of the tumor microenvironment in therapy resistance, while contributing to several collaborative projects. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling, baking, and outdoor activities.