Sonali P Barwe

Sr Research Scientist

Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware 1600 Rockland Road Wilmington, DE 19803

Biography

Dr. Barwe is a Senior Research Scientist heading the Cancer Modeling Laboratory at Nemours. After completing her Postdoc at UCLA, she joined Nemours in 2007. Her research is focused on deciphering the role of the bone marrow microenvironment in therapy resistance and identifying means to reverse it. Dr. Barwe works on developing patient-derived xenograft models of pediatric leukemia for preclinical drug evaluation with the goal of transitioning to the clinic. She also mentors UD graduate students and co-directs the Nemours Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Education

  • PhD - Indian Institute of Science, Biochemistry, 2001
  • MSc - University of Mumbai, 1997

  • Chemosensitization
  • Epigenetic Drugs
  • Leukemia
  • Patient-Derived Xenografts

  • CONCORDANCE OF A CAPILLARY BLOOD COLLECTION DEVICE FOR IMMUNE SURVEILLANCE IN PEDIATRIC SEPSIS; CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE; (2026).

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  • DLK1 is a GATA1s-Driven Dependency and Therapeutic Target in Down Syndrome-Associated Myeloid Leukemia; Blood Advances; (2026).

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  • Mesothelin promotes acute myeloid leukemia progression through LYN-dependent signaling; JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY; (2026).

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  • Azacitidine-panobinostat activates NF-kb signaling in the bone marrow microenvironment to chemosensitize KMT2A rearranged pediatric AML; BLOOD; (2025).

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  • BTK regulates EZH2 stability in myeloid leukemia associated with down syndrome; BLOOD; (2025).

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  • DLK1 is a GATA1s-Driven Dependency and Therapeutic Target in Down Syndrome-Associated Myeloid Leukemia; bioRxiv; (2025).

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  • Dual targeting of tumoral cells and immune microenvironment by blocking the IL-33/IL1RL1 pathway; NATURE COMMUNICATIONS; (2025).

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  • DYRKIA interacts with EZH2 to regulate transcriptionally active chromatin in myeloid leukemia associated with down syndrome; BLOOD; (2025).

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  • Mechanism of acquired resistance to histone deacetylase inhibitor, romidepsin, in myeloid leukemia associated with down syndrome; BLOOD; (2025).

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  • ST2/IL-33 axis blockade inhibits regulatory T cell cytotoxicity towards CD8 T cells in the leukemic niche; NATURE COMMUNICATIONS; (2025).

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  • Down syndrome and leukemia: An insight into the disease biology and current treatment options; BLOOD REVIEWS; (2024).

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  • Identification of DLKI As a Novel Therapeutic Target in Down Syndrome Myeloid Leukemia; BLOOD; (2024).

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  • Interferon Synergizes with Inhibition of Pro-Apoptotic Proteins to Reduce Leukemia Burden in PDX Models of ML-DS; BLOOD; (2024).

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  • Mesothelin Promotes Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Proliferation, Adhesion, and Chemoresistance through Novel Partner; BLOOD; (2024).

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  • Bone Marrow Microenvironment-Induced Chemoprotection in KMT2A Rearranged Pediatric AML Is Overcome by Azacitidine-Panobinostat Combination; CANCERS; (2023).

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  • Tetraspanins set the stage for bone marrow microenvironment- induced chemoprotection in hematologic malignancies; BLOOD ADVANCES; (2023).

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  • A Bone Marrow Mimetic 3D Co-Culture Model for Ex Vivo drug Testing of Down Syndrome-Myeloid Leukemia Cells; BLOOD; (2022).

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  • An Insight into the Role of Mesothelin in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia; FASEB JOURNAL; (2022).

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  • Azacitidine and Panobinostat Overcome Bone Marrow Microenvironment-Induced Chemoprotection in KMT2A rearranged Pediatric AML; BLOOD; (2022).

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  • Efficacy of Flotetuzumab in Combination with Cytarabine in Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia; JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE; (2022).

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  • Imetelstat Induces Leukemia Stem Cell Death in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenografts; JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE; (2022).

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  • Mesothelin: An Immunotherapeutic Target beyond Solid Tumors; CANCERS; (2022).

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  • Modeling Down Syndrome Myeloid Leukemia by Sequential Introduction of GATA1 and STAG2 Mutations in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells with Trisomy 21; CELLS; (2022).

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  • Preclinical Validation of EZH2 and HDAC I Dual Inhibition As a Potent Therapy for Refractory Myeloid Leukemia Associated with Down Syndrome; BLOOD; (2022).

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  • Selinexor Prolongs Survival in Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Down Syndrome Myeloid Leukemia; BLOOD; (2022).

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  • The menin-MLL1 interaction is a molecular dependency in NUP98-rearranged AML; BLOOD; (2022).

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  • A 3-D hydrogel based system for hematopoietic differentiation and its use in modeling down syndrome associated transient myeloproliferative disorder; BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE; (2021).

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  • Bcl2 Inhibitor and DNA Hypomethylating Agent Prolong Survival in Patient-Derived Xenograft Model of Down Syndrome Myeloid Leukemia By Synergistic Downregulation of Cytokine Signaling; BLOOD; (2021).

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  • Epigenetic Drug Combination Alters Methylation Patterns in Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of KMT2A-Rearranged Pediatric AML Treated In Vivo; BLOOD; (2021).

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  • Evaluating the Efficacy of PRMT5 Inhibitor C220 in Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia; BLOOD; (2021).

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  • Harnessing the Power of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Gene Editing Technology: Therapeutic Implications in Hematological Malignancies; CELLS; (2021).

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  • Hydrogel-Based 3D Culture Model for Down Syndrome Associated Transient Myeloproliferative Disorder Using Customized Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; BLOOD; (2021).

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  • Imetelstat Significantly Reduces Leukemia Stem Cells in Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Pediatric AML; BLOOD; (2021).

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  • Immunotherapeutic Targeting of Mesothelin Positive Pediatric AML Using Bispecific T Cell Engaging Antibodies; CANCERS; (2021).

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  • Introduction of STAG2 Mutation in an iPSC Model of Transient Abnormal Myelopoiesis Mimics Down Syndrome Myeloid Leukemia; BLOOD; (2021).

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  • Mesothelin is a novel cell surface disease marker and potential therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia; BLOOD ADVANCES; (2021).

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  • T Cell Engaging Bispecific Antibodies Produce Durable Response in Mesothelin-Positive Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Pediatric AML; BLOOD; (2021).

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  • CD81 knockout promotes chemosensitivity and disrupts in vivo homing and engraftment in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.; Blood advances; (2020).

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  • Error-corrected sequencing strategies enable comprehensive detection of leukemic mutations relevant for diagnosis and minimal residual disease monitoring.; BMC medical genomics; (2020).

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  • Mesothelin Expression Is Associated with Extramedullary Disease and Promotes In Vivo Leukemic Growth in Acute Myeloid Leukemia; BLOOD; (2020).

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  • Modeling Transient Abnormal Myelopoiesis Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and CRISPR/Cas9 Technology.; Molecular therapy. Methods & clinical development; (2020).

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  • Strong concordance between RNA structural and single nucleotide variants identified via next generation sequencing techniques in primary pediatric leukemia and patient-derived xenograft samples.; Genomics & informatics; (2020).

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  • The extracellular matrix: A key player in the pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies.; Blood reviews; (2020).

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  • Understanding the Mechanisms by Which Epigenetic Modifiers Avert Therapy Resistance in Cancer.; Frontiers in oncology; (2020).

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  • A Hydrogel Based 3D Culture System for Hematopoietic Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Blood; (2019).

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  • Abstract LB-322: Identification of a novel fusion protein SPTAN1-ABL1 in a child with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Functional characterization and therapeutic implications; Tumor Biology; (2019).

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  • Effect of Ara-C on T-Cell Function and Flotetuzumab Activity in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Blood; (2019).

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  • Generation, Characterization and Pre-Clinical Drug Evaluation of Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Pediatric Down Syndrome AML; Blood; (2019).

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  • In Vivo Evaluation of Mesothelin As a Therapeutic Target in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Blood; (2019).

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  • Mesothelin Targeting Bites for Pediatric AML: In Vivo Efficacy and Specificity; Blood; (2019).

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  • Modeling Transient Myeloproliferative Disorder Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and CRISPR/Cas9 Technology; BLOOD; (2019).

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  • Modulation of CD81 By Epigenetic Drug Combination Sensitizes Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Via Decreased BTK Signaling; BLOOD; (2019).

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  • Epigenetic Drug Combination Chemo-Sensitizes Pediatric AML By Reducing Cell Adhesion and Dislodging AML Cells from the Bone Marrow; BLOOD; (2018).

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  • Epigenetic Drug Combination Overcomes Bone Marrow Microenvironment-Induced Chemoprotection in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Via Modulation of CD81; BLOOD; (2018).

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  • Identification of novel fusion genes and expression variants in primary and patient-derived xenograft samples of pediatric leukemia using error-corrected RNA sequencing; CANCER RESEARCH; (2018).

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  • Epigenetic drug combination induces remission in mouse xenograft models of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.; Leukemia research; (2017).

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  • Epigenetic drug combination overcomes osteoblast-induced chemoprotection in pediatric acute lymphoid leukemia.; Leukemia research; (2017).

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  • Epigenetic drug treatment overcomes osteoblast-induced chemoprotection by suppressing cell adhesion and related signaling; CANCER RESEARCH; (2017).

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  • Epigenetic modifiers outperform chemotherapy in prolonging survival in patient-derived xenograft models of Down syndrome AML; CANCER RESEARCH; (2017).

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  • Eviction from the sanctuary: Development of targeted therapy against cell adhesion molecules in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.; Seminars in oncology; (2017).

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  • Knockdown of sodium-calcium exchanger 1 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in kidney epithelial cells.; The Journal of biological chemistry; (2017).

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  • Mesothelin Is a Novel Disease Marker and Potential Therapeutic Target in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia; BLOOD; (2017).

  • Sodium-calcium exchanger-1 regulates the epithelial phenotype and is lost in renal cancers; CANCER RESEARCH; (2017).

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  • Generation of Pediatric Leukemia Xenograft Models in NSG-B2m Mice: Comparison with NOD/SCID Mice.; Frontiers in oncology; (2016).

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  • Combination of epigenetic modifiers achieves complete remission in xenograft models of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia; CANCER RESEARCH; (2015).

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  • Disruption of Annexin II /p11 Interaction Suppresses Leukemia Cell Binding, Homing and Engraftment, and Sensitizes the Leukemia Cells to Chemotherapy.; PloS one; (2015).

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  • Distinct roles of Na, K-ATPase function and expression in medulloblastoma; CANCER RESEARCH; (2015).

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  • Glucocorticoids suppress renal cell carcinoma progression by enhancing Na,K-ATPase beta-1 subunit expression.; PloS one; (2015).

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  • Ion dependence of Na-K-ATPase-mediated epithelial cell adhesion and migration.; American journal of physiology. Cell physiology; (2015).

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  • Na,K-ATPase β1-subunit is a target of sonic hedgehog signaling and enhances medulloblastoma tumorigenicity.; Molecular cancer; (2015).

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  • Sodium-calcium exchanger 1 regulates epithelial cell migration via calcium-dependent extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling.; The Journal of biological chemistry; (2015).

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  • Disruption of annexin II tetramer/receptor axis suppresses leukemia cell homing and engraftment; CANCER RESEARCH; (2014).

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  • Inhibition of epidermal growth factor signaling by the cardiac glycoside ouabain in medulloblastoma.; Cancer medicine; (2014).

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  • Metformin suppresses pediatric acute myeloid leukemia cell viability and clonogenicity; Cancer & Metabolism; (2014).

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  • Regulation of Na,K-ATPase by Sonic hedgehog signaling in cerebellar granule precursor cells.; MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL; (2014).

  • Combination Of Inhibitors Against DNA Methyltransferases and Histone Deacetylases Synergistically Suppresses Cell Viability In Acute Myeloid Cells In a p53-Dependent Manner; BLOOD; (2013).

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  • Gramicidin A induces metabolic dysfunction and energy depletion leading to cell death in renal cell carcinoma cells.; Molecular cancer therapeutics; (2013).

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  • Nanotechnology based drug delivery in childhood leukemia therapy: A novel approach to reduce side-effects.; CANCER RESEARCH; (2013).

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  • Regulation of Na,K-ATPase β1-subunit in TGF-β2-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human retinal pigmented epithelial cells.; Experimental eye research; (2013).

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  • Dexamethasone-loaded block copolymer nanoparticles induce leukemia cell death and enhance therapeutic efficacy: a novel application in pediatric nanomedicine.; Molecular pharmaceutics; (2012).

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  • Na,K-ATPase β-subunit cis homo-oligomerization is necessary for epithelial lumen formation in mammalian cells.; Journal of cell science; (2012).

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  • Nanomedicine for the treatment of childhood leukemia; ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY; (2012).

  • Regulation of Na, K-ATPase β-subunit in TGF-β2-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human retinal pigmented epithelial cells.; MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL; (2012).

  • Soluble E-cadherin promotes cell survival by activating epidermal growth factor receptor.; Experimental cell research; (2011).

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  • Dysfunction of ouabain-induced cardiac contractility in mice with heart-specific ablation of Na,K-ATPase beta1-subunit.; Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology; (2009).

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  • Expression of Na,K-ATPase-beta(1) subunit increases uptake and sensitizes carcinoma cells to oxaliplatin.; Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology; (2009).

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  • alpha-Catenin overrides Src-dependent activation of beta-catenin oncogenic signaling.; Molecular cancer therapeutics; (2008).

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  • Effects of Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit knockout on heart function; CIRCULATION; (2007).

  • Interaction of prostate specific membrane antigen with clathrin and the adaptor protein complex-2.; International journal of oncology; (2007).

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  • Interaction of prostate specific membrane antigen with clathrin and the adaptor protein complex-2; INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY; (2007).

  • Preferential association of prostate cancer cells expressing prostate specific membrane antigen to bone marrow matrix.; International journal of oncology; (2007).

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  • Preferential association of prostate cancer cells expressing prostate specific membrane antigen to bone marrow matrix; INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY; (2007).

  • Association of prostate-specific membrane antigen with caveolin-1 and its caveolae-dependent internalization in microvascular endothelial cells: implications for targeting to tumor vasculature.; Microvascular research; (2006).

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  • IDENTIFICATION OF PROTEIN KINASE C AS AN INTERMEDIATE IN NA, K-ATPASE BETA-SUBUNIT MEDIATED LAMELLIPODIA FORMATION AND SUPPRESSION OF CELL MOTILITY IN CARCINOMA CELLS; CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; (2006).

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  • Identification of protein kinase C as an intermediate in Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit mediated lamellipodia formation and suppression of cell motility in carcinoma cells.; Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France); (2006).

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  • Janus model of the Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit transmembrane domain: distinct faces mediate alpha/beta assembly and beta-beta homo-oligomerization.; Journal of molecular biology; (2006).

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  • Na-K-ATPase regulates tight junction permeability through occludin phosphorylation in pancreatic epithelial cells.; American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology; (2006).

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  • Multiple functions of Na,K-ATPase in epithelial cells.; Seminars in nephrology; (2005).

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  • HLA class I signal transduction is dependent on Rho GTPase and ROK.; Biochemical and biophysical research communications; (2004).

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  • Novel role for Na,K-ATPase in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling and suppression of cell motility.; Molecular biology of the cell; (2004).

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  • The requirements for Ca2+, protein phosphorylation and concurrent protein synthesis for zeatin signaling of acidic chitinase transcript accumulation in Cucumis sativus L.; Journal of Plant Physiology; (2001).

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