Xaralabos Varelas, PhD Hear my name
Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Biochemistry & Cell Biology

PhD, University of Alberta
BSc, McGill University

Pronouns: he/him/his



Research in the Varelas lab is focused on gaining insight into the molecular mechanisms by which cell fate is coordinated with cell proliferation and survival during animal development and disease. The lab is particularly interested in understanding the roles and regulation of the transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ), which are key effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway.

YAP/TAZ integrate cell polarity and mechanical cues with information relayed by growth factors and chemicals to direct essential processes and maintain organ homeostasis. The lab is incorporating genetic and biochemical approaches to define how YAP/TAZ control developmental events, and how dysregulation of YAP/TAZ activity contributes the etiology of various diseases, such as cancer.

Member
Boston University
BU-BMC Cancer Center


Member
Boston University
Pulmonary Center


Member
Boston University
Center for Regenerative Medicine


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Member
Boston University
Genome Science Institute


Graduate Medical Sciences Educator and Mentor (Primary Mentor of Graduate Students)
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences




Defining immune-evasive mechanical signaling in head and neck cancer
06/06/2024 - 03/31/2029 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research
5R01DE033519-02

Targeting Transcriptional Networks Directing Immune Evasion in Progressive Bronchial Premalignant Lesions
07/01/2024 - 06/30/2027 (PI)
Department of Defense/Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity


Defining age-associated alterations in oral squamous cell carcinoma
04/01/2023 - 03/31/2027 (Key Person / Mentor)
PI: Anthony Spinella
NIH/National Institute on Aging
5F30AG077929-03

YAP/TAZ induce pulmonary capillary activation and drive alveolar stromal remodeling
01/01/2025 - 12/31/2026 (PI)
American Heart Association


Defining epithelial polarity cues that direct cell fate
02/15/2020 - 01/31/2026 (PI)
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5R01HL124392-10

Defining the Beta-catenin/CBP axis in head and neck cancer
12/07/2020 - 11/30/2025 (Multi-PI)
PI: Xaralabos Varelas, PhD
NIH/National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research
5R01DE030350-05

Defining molecular signals that influence airway basal cell renewal and growth
01/01/2020 - 06/30/2023 (Key Person / Mentor)
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5F31HL149381-04

Intercepting aberrant YAP/TAZ activity for the treatment of lung cancer
12/29/2017 - 06/30/2023 (PI)
Janssen Research & Development, LLC


Mechanobiology of Lung Fibrosis
04/03/2019 - 03/31/2023 (Subcontract PI)
Mayo Clinic NIH NHLBI
5R01HL092961-12

Understanding aberrant YAP signaling in squamous cell lung cancer
07/01/2017 - 12/31/2022 (PI)
American Cancer Society, Inc.


Showing 10 of 28 results. Show All Results


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2025 Defining immune-evasive mechanical signaling in head and neck cancer 5R01DE033519-02
2025 Defining the ß-catenin/CBP-catenin/CBP axis in head and neck cancer 5R01DE030350-05
2024 Defining immune-evasive mechanical signaling in head and neck cancer 1R01DE033519-01
2024 Defining the ß-catenin/CBP-catenin/CBP axis in head and neck cancer 5R01DE030350-04
2024 Defining epithelial polarity cues that direct cell fate 5R01HL124392-10
2023 Defining the ß-catenin/CBP-catenin/CBP axis in head and neck cancer 5R01DE030350-03
2023 Defining epithelial polarity cues that direct cell fate 5R01HL124392-09
2022 Defining the ß-catenin/CBP-catenin/CBP axis in head and neck cancer 5R01DE030350-02
2022 Defining epithelial polarity cues that direct cell fate 5R01HL124392-08
2021 Enhancement and Cloud Deployment of CaDrA, a software tool for Candidate Driver Analysis of Multiomics Data 3R01DE030350-01A1S1
Showing 10 of 20 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Ning B, Chiu DJ, Pfefferkorn RM, Cullinane E, Kefella Y, Kane E, Reyes-Ortiz V, Liu G, Zhang X, Liu H, Sultan L, Green E, Constant M, Spira AE, Campbell JD, Reid ME, Varelas X, Burks EJ, Lenburg ME, Mazzilli SA, Beane JE. Up-regulation of an epithelial miRNA is associated with immune evasion in progressive bronchial premalignant lesions. Cancer Immunol Res. 2026 Feb 11. PMID: 41670462; DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-25-0431;
     
  2. Zhao J, Luebbers A, Savransky S, Lin TY, Cheng N, Wilcox A, Janicot R, Green E, Sharma A, Maziarz M, Varelas X, Irannejad R, Vilardaga JP, Garcia-Marcos M. Inhibitory probes for spatiotemporal analysis of Gas protein signaling. Nat Chem Biol. 2026 Feb 03. PMID: 41634441; DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-02138-1;
     
  3. Cheng N, Kontodimas K, Matschulat A, Hicks-Berthet J, Varelas X. Airway Goblet Metaplasia Resulting from YAP/TAZ Deletion Drives Pulmonary Inflammatory Responses. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2026 Feb 01; 74(2):177-191. PMID: 40920963
     
  4. Chakraborty AK, Kroehling L, Raut RD, Choudhury C, Kukuruzinska MA, Gutkind JS, Varelas X, Sahay B, Monti S, Bais MV. LSD1 Inhibition Induces MHC-I and Dendritic Cell Activation to Promote Antitumor Immunity in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancer Res. 2026 Jan 16; 86(2):503-518.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41066547; PMCID: PMC12599148; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-24-3239;
     
  5. Hall JK, Deng Y, Kontodimas K, Nia H, Varelas X, Lutchen KR, Bates J, Suki B. A large-scale balloon model of confluent cells validates stress inference from geometry. NPJ Biol Phys Mech. 2026; 3(1):1. PMID: 41523857; PMCID: PMC12779549; DOI: 10.1038/s44341-025-00031-5;
     
  6. Jankowski SA, Kroehling L, Bais MV, Hardy NC, Varelas X, Monti S, Kukuruzinska MA. Dietary Serine Restriction Impacts H3K27 and H3K4 Methyl Epigenomes to Impede Head and Neck Cancer Cell Plasticity and Tumor Growth. bioRxiv. 2025 Oct 22. PMID: 41279982; PMCID: PMC12633356; DOI: 10.1101/2025.10.21.683420;
     
  7. Leblanc H, Buzharsky M, Varelas X, Binello E, Ramirez S. Age-dependent glioma progression and functional decline in a syngeneic murine model: Host vulnerabilities and opportunities for targeted intervention. Neurooncol Adv. 2026; 8(1):vdaf222. PMID: 41613043; PMCID: PMC12848224; DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdaf222;
     
  8. Aubert O, Miyake Y, Amonkar GM, Dinwoodie OM, Varisco BM, Marotta M, Zhao C, Wagner R, Chen YW, Moscatello A, Tiozzo C, Varelas X, Lerou PH, Peiro JL, Keijzer R, Ai X. Fetal Tracheal Occlusion Correlates with Normalized YAP Expression and Alveolar Epithelial Differentiation in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2025 Jun; 72(6):688-697.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39661950; PMCID: PMC12143405; DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2024-0323OC;
     
  9. Berical AC, Kiyokawa H, Beermann ML, Wallman D, Cherfane G, Dunphy V, Pan J, Tilston-Lunel A, Varelas X, Horani A, Brody SL, Kotton DN, Hawkins FJ. Reply to Huang et al.: Sowing Tailored Seeds: Gene-edited Basal Cells for Precision Regulation of Airway Phenotypes. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2025 May; 211(5):884.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39999444; PMCID: PMC12091012; DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202412-2535LE;
     
  10. Ma L, Thapa BR, Le Suer JA, Tilston-Lünel A, Herriges MJ, Wang F, Bawa PS, Varelas X, Hawkins FJ, Kotton DN. Author Correction: Life-long functional regeneration of in vivo airway epithelium by the engraftment of airway basal stem cells. Nat Protoc. 2025 Mar 31.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40164751
     
Showing 10 of 98 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 98 publications over 22 distinct years, with a maximum of 10 publications in 2025

YearPublications
20031
20051
20061
20081
20092
20102
20113
20121
20134
20146
20154
20162
20178
20184
20196
20208
20218
20228
20236
20247
202510
20265
Contact for Mentoring:

72 E. Concord St
Boston MA 02118
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