Polina Lishko, PhD

Clinical Expertise

Breast and Lung Cancers

Research Interest

My most recent research focuses on the emerging role of ion channels in cancer biology, with particular emphasis on the potassium, calcium and proton ion channels. Ion channels, traditionally studied in the context of excitable tissues, are increasingly recognized as key regulators of cancer cell proliferation, migration, and survival. Our recent work has identified unique ion channels as highly expressed in specific cancer types, including lung and breast carcinomas. Through a targeted small-molecule screen, we discovered that a class of clinically approved drugs-- originally developed for non-cancer indications--effectively blocks this channel activity and inhibits cancer cell growth. These findings highlight a promising opportunity for drug repurposing and the development of novel ion channel-targeted cancer therapies. Moving forward, my research aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these type of ion channels contribute to tumor progression and to explore their therapeutic potential across various cancer models. I am particularly interested in collaborative efforts that combine pharmacology, electrophysiology, and cancer biology to uncover actionable targets withing the ion channel landscape.

Education

• 1996: BS, National Taras Shevchenko University, Kyiv, Ukraine
• 2000: PhD, The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kyiv, Ukraine

Training

• 2000 - 2005: Postdoctoral, Ophthalmology, Biochemistry, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA
• 2005 - 2006: Postdoctoral, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Protein Structure , University of California, San Francisco, CA