Eti Cukierman
Cukierman in a Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) photo, 2018
Born	Edna Cukierman Mexico City
Alma mater	Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
Scientific career
Fields	Tumor microenvironment Cancer associated fibroblasts Extracellular matrix Pancreatic cancer Desmoplasia [1]
Institutions	National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Fox Chase Cancer Center
Thesis	Molecular characterization of an ARF directed GTPase activating protein (1997)
Doctoral students	Jaye Gardiner
Website	www.foxchase.org/edna-cukierman

Edna "Eti" Cukierman is a Mexican biochemist who is a professor at the Fox Chase Cancer Center. ^{[1] [2]} She serves as co-director of the Marvin & Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute. Her research investigates pancreatic cancer and the tumor microenvironment.

Cukierman was born in Mexico City. ^[3] She emigrated to Israel in 1986. ^[3] She joined Technion – Israel Institute of Technology for her doctoral research, where she studied ARF directed GTPase. ^{[4] [5]}

After her PhD, Cukierman was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship in 1997, and joined the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. ^[3] She developed a multilayered fibroblastic cell-derived extracellular matrix, which became widely used in biomaterials research. ^{[6] [7]}

Cukierman joined the Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2002. ^[3] She studies pancreatic cancer, with a specific focus on the tumor microenvironment and the identification of strategies that can change the tumor microenvironment. ^[8] Desmoplasia, which is the growth of connective tissue, shows similarities to wound healing pathologies (e.g. chronic inflammation). ^{[9] [10]} She believes it will be possible to stall the growth of tumors by transforming the microenvironment into one which harnesses anti-tumor functions. ^[11]

In 2005, Cukierman demonstrated that desmoplastic extracellular matrices could induce a myofibroblastic phenotype on naïve fibroblastic cells. ^[12] This work involved the realization of a human mimetic three-dimensional stroma system, which allowed Cukierman to understand the extracellular factors that determine the function of fibroblasts. ^[12] Through multi-cellular culturing, Cukierman has shown how cancer-associated fibroblasts impart immunosuppressive influences, communicate and provide nutrition to cancer cells. ^[12] She identified that cancer communication involved the TGF beta signaling pathway, extracellular matrix and integrin signalling pathway and the reorganization of cytoskeletal elements. ^[13] She demonstrated that the glutamatergic presynaptic protein Netrin G1 promoted tumorgenesis by providing nutritional support and immunity to cancer-associated fibroblasts. ^[14] She has shown that anti-Netrin G1 antibodies can halt tumorgenesis. ^[9]

Cukierman joined the American Gastroenterological Association in 2010. ^[8] At the time, this was considered novel because the association is mainly a medical association, and Cukierman is not a physician. ^[8] In 2017, she established the Marvin and Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute. ^[15]

• 2004 AACR-Pennsylvania Department of Health Career Development Award ^[6]
• 2005 Nikon Small World Competition Image of Distinction ^{[16] [17]}
• 2015 United States Department of Defense Idea Award ^[9]
• 2016 Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology Distinguished Achievement Award ^[9]
• 2020 Elected to the Council of the American Society of Matrix Biology ^{[3] [18]}
• 2020 Worldwide Cancer Research Award ^[11]
• 2020 Elected Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association ^[8]

Cukierman has supported the development of early career researchers, and has developed a philosophy around teaching and mentoring. She is a member of the American Cancer Society, and on the editorial board of Matrix Biology. ^[19]

• Taking cell-matrix adhesions to the third dimension ^[20]
• Modeling tissue morphogenesis and cancer in 3D ^[21]
• A framework for advancing our understanding of cancer-associated fibroblasts ^[22]