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Cedarville University senior contributes to breakthrough research on deadly cancer

Metastatic breast cancer remains one of the most devastating forms of cancer, claiming the lives of more than 42,000 people in the United States each year, according to . In recognition of the ongoing fight against this disease, researchers and advocates spotlight its impact every October 13 on Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Despite growing awareness, the question persists: what more can be done to slow the spread of this aggressive cancer?

At , one student is working to find answers. Matthew Lacey, a senior molecular biology major from Clarkston, Michigan, spent his summer contributing to cutting-edge research at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. There, in the Dr. Susan Waltz Laboratory, he focused on understanding the biology of metastatic cancer—work aimed at uncovering new ways to reduce its deadly progression.

The Waltz Lab specifically investigates RON, a protein receptor that drives aggressive metastatic cancers, including breast cancer. By identifying why RON intensifies cancer cell growth and spread, researchers hope to pinpoint more effective treatment options.

“The Waltz Lab is trying to manage cancers that express RON and understand what routes are available for future clinicians to treat RON-driven cancers,” explained Lacey. “They’re investigating that through the immune system and through metabolism.”

Building on the lab’s earlier discoveries, Lacey studied how RON influences key metabolic genes and pathways. Using experimental drug testing, he examined how four crucial genes responded to targeted treatments. The results were promising: the drugs reduced the genes’ expression of RON, which in turn decreased the cancer cells’ aggressiveness and ability to reproduce. Additional tests confirmed that suppressing these genes further weakened RON’s impact. “This led to the metastatic capabilities of the cancer being reduced,” Lacey said.

Lacey also worked with CRISPR, a groundbreaking DNA-editing technology, to further test cancer cell growth. 

“CRISPR is a protein complex that comes into the cell’s genome and targets specific genes,” he explained. “It’s not always guaranteed to work, so we had to explore that in our research.” His experience with both drug testing and genetic editing gave him a deeper understanding of how multiple strategies can be combined to fight aggressive cancers.

While his summer research broadened his expertise in cancer biology, Lacey credits his Cedarville coursework for equipping him with the tools to succeed in the lab. “My classes at Cedarville were very translatable to what I was doing this summer,” he said. “Being familiar with biological research prepared me to go into cancer research.”

Looking ahead, Lacey hopes to continue in this field. 

"I didn’t originally plan on pursuing cancer biology, but this experience really shaped my interest in it,” he shared. Currently, he is exploring Ph.D. programs with the goal of focusing on cancer prevention research. “Cancer isn’t going away anytime soon,” he said. “It’s something that needs to be addressed. I want to work in this field because I want my research to matter.”

For patients and families facing the weight of metastatic breast cancer, progress can feel slow. But the work of students like Lacey—building on discoveries, testing new approaches, and pursuing answers—offers hope. Each step forward in the lab brings science closer to treatments that could slow, and one day stop, the disease that claims so many lives each year.

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across the arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by the Wall Street Journal as being among the nation's top three evangelical Christian universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant campus community, challenging academic and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at .