Spatial Biology Symposium at MBC BioLabs 2026

Paola Betancur, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco

Paola Betancur, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. Her research focuses on how non-coding regulatory elements, particularly super-enhancers, drive gene dysregulation and tumor–immune interactions in cancer. Trained in epigenetics and enhancer biology at Caltech and in cancer immunology at Stanford, she has uncovered mechanisms by which super-enhancers regulate key genes such as CD47 and NSMCE2, promoting immune evasion and therapy resistance. Her current work aims to define how spatial organization and cell-type–specific expression of immune checkpoints influence patient outcomes and therapeutic response, with the goal of advancing precision cancer treatment.

Eliah Shamir, MD, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist in Research Pathology, Genentech

Eliah Shamir is a Senior Principal Scientist in Research Pathology at Genentech and a board-certified anatomic pathologist with fellowship training in surgical and breast pathology. She supports early-stage research programs across immunology, oncology, and cell therapy and leads cross-functional initiatives focused on assay innovation, tissue clearing, and multimodal pathology workflows for complex in vitro models. Her cross-departmental collaborations integrate pathology, imaging, and spatial proteomics to enable cell type- and region-specific analyses within a native tissue context, supporting the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Bruce Wang, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Francisco

Bruce Wang is associate professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology, department of medicine at the University of California San Francisco. He is a physician scientist who studies liver biology. He is a member of the UCSF Liver Center, UCSF Cancer Center, and the UCSF Broad Stem Cell Center. His lab uses single cell genomics, organoids, and genetic mouse models to study human liver diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis and pediatric hepatoblastoma.