Sachs Lab

Research Interests

Our lab's goal is to identify molecular mechanisms of leukemia stem cell self-renewal in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Self-renewal is a feature of leukemia stem cells that allow them to recapitulate leukemia and cause relapse. Since AML cells are highly heterogenous, we specialize in the application of single-cell, high throughput technologies (including mass cytometry/CyTOF and single-cell RNA sequencing) to address these research questions. We believe that this approach will identify effective therapeutic targets for this deadly disease.

Infographic

Portrait of Zohar Sachs

Zohar Sachs, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation
Department of Medicine
University of Minnesota
Full Bio

Contact
Tracy Daye-Groves
tmgroves@umn.edu

Publications

  1. Baughn LB*, Sachs Z*, Noble-Orcutt KE, Mitra A, Van Ness BG, and Linden MA.
    “Phenotypic and functional characterization of a bortezomib resistant multiple myeloma cell line by flow and mass cytometry.”
    Leukemia and Lymphoma. 2016 Dec 16:1 
    *co-first authors 
  2. Csizmar CM, Kim DH, Sachs, Z.
    “The Role of the Proteasome in AML.”
    Blood Cancer Journal. 2016 Dec 2;6(12)e503. doi: 10.1038/bcj.2016.112.
  3. Sachs Z, Been RA, DeCoursin KJ, Nguyen HT, Mohd Hassan NA, Noble-Orcutt KE, Eckfeldt CE, Pomeroy EJ, Diaz-Flores E, Geurts JL, Diers MD, Hasz DE, Morgan KJ, MacMillan ML, Shannon KM, Largaespada DA, Wiesner SM.
    “Stat5 is critical for the development and maintenance of myeloproliferative neoplasm initiated by Nf1 deficiency.”
    Haematologica. 2016 Oct;101(10):1190-1199. PMID: 27418650
  4. Yun YS, Kim KH, Tschida B, Sachs Z, Noble-Orcutt KE, Moriarity B, Ai T, Ding R, Williams J, Chen L, Largaespada DA, Kim D.
    “mTORC1 Regulates Immunoproteasome Assembly for Protein Stress Response and Cell Survival.”
    Molecular Cell. 2016 Feb 18;61(4):625-39. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.01.013. Epub 2016 Feb 11. PMID: 26876939
  5. Moench L, Sachs Z, Aasen G, Dolan M, Dayton V, Courville EL.
    “Double- and Triple-Hit Lymphomas Can Present with Immature Features, including TdT Expression, and Create Diagnostic Challenges.”
    Leukemia and Lymphoma. 2016 Feb 18:1-10. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 26892631 
  6. Trottier BJ, Sachs Z, DeFor TE, Shune L, Dolan M, Weisdorf DJ, Ustun C, Warlick ED.
    “Novel Disease Burden Assessment Predicts Allogeneic Transplantation Outcomes in Myelodysplastic Syndrome.”
    Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016 Feb;51(2):199-204. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.274. Epub 2015 Nov 23. PMID: 26595080 
  7. Courville EL, Sachs Z, Linden MA.
    “Plasma Cell Neoplasms: A morphologic, cytogenetic, and Immunophenotypic approach.”
    Book chapter; Linden MAMcKenna RW, Editors. New York, NY: Springer; 2015. Standardized synoptic reports for plasma cell neoplasms: integration of laboratory and clinical data. 
  8. Kempema AM, Widen JC, Hexum JK, Andrews TE, Wang D, Rathe SK, Meece FA, Noble KE, Sachs Z, Largaespada DA, Harki DA.
    “Synthesis and antileukemic activities of C1-C10-modified parthenolide analogues.”
    Bioorg Med Chem. 2015 Aug 1;23(15):4737-45. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.05.037. Epub 2015 May 30. PMID: 26088334
  9. Ustun C, Trottier BJ, Sachs Z, DeFor TE, Shune L, Courville E, Holtan SG, Dolan M, Weisdorf DJ, Warlick ED.
    “Monosomal karyotype at the time of diagnosis or transplantation predicts outcomes of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Myelodysplastic Syndrome.”
    Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2015 Jan 22. pii: S1083-8791(15)00051-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2015.01.017. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 25620751
  10. Sachs Z, LaRue RS, Nguyen HT, Sachs K, Noble KE, Mohd Hassan NA, Diaz-Flores E, Rathe SK, Sarver AL, Bendall SC, Ha NA, Diers MD, Nolan GP, Shannon KM, Largaespada DA.
    “NRASG12V oncogene facilitates self-renewal in a murine model of acute myelogenous leukemia.”
    Blood. 2014 Nov 20;124(22):3274-83. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-08-521708. Epub 2014 Oct 14. PMID: 25316678
  11. Fall DJ, Stessman H, Patel SS, Sachs Z, Van Ness BG, Baughn LB, Linden MA.
    “Utilization of translational bioinformatics to identify novel biomarkers of bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma.”
    J Cancer. 2014 Sep 21;5(9):720-7. doi: 10.7150/jca.9864. eCollection 2014. Review. PMID: 25368671
  12. Liegel J, Courville E, Sachs Z, Ustun C.
    “Use of sorafenib for post-transplant relapse in FLT3/ITD-positive acute myelogenous leukemia: maturation induction and cytotoxic effect.”
    Haematologica. 2014 Nov;99(11):e222-4. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2014.109975. Epub 2014 Jul 11. PMID: 25015937
  13. Lunde L, Chuang C, Linden M, Williams S, Sachs Z, Cayci Zuzan, Young J, Ustun C.
    “Lethal small bowel necrosis due to aspergillosis during acute promyelocitic leukemia induction.”
    Am J Hematology 2013;88(4):329-332. PMID: 22791390
  14. Linden MA, Bachanova V, Sachs Z, Young JA, Singleton TP, Ustun C.
    “Transformed large B-cell lymphoma in rituximab-allergic patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplant: successful treatment with ofatumumab.”
    Leuk Lymphoma 2013 Jan;54(1):174-6. doi: 10.3109/10428194.2012.691484
  15. Sachs Z, Sharpless N, DePinho R, Rosenberg, N. 
    “p16Ink4a induces apoptosis during Ab-MLV transformation of pre-B cells.”
    J Virol. 2004;78(7):3304-11.
  16. Mostecki J, Halgren A, Radfar A, Sachs Z, Ravitz J, Thome KC, Rosenberg N. 
    “Loss of heterozygosity at the Ink4a/Arf locus facilitates Abelson virus transformation of pre-B cells.”
    J Virol 2000;74(20):9479-87.
  17. Berretta S, Sachs Z, Graybiel AM. 
    “Cortically driven Fos in the striatum is amplified by local dopamine D2-class receptor blockade.”
    Eur J Neurosci. 1999;11:4309-19.
  18. Baughn LB*, Sachs Z*, Noble-Orcutt KE, Mitra A, Van Ness BG, and Linden MA.
    “Phenotypic and functional characterization of a bortezomib resistant multiple myeloma cell line by flow and mass cytometry.”
    Leukemia and Lymphoma.2016 Dec 16:1-10. 
    *co-first authors 
  19. Csizmar CM, Kim DH, Sachs, Z.
    “The Role of the Proteasome in AML.”
    Blood Cancer Journal. 2016 Dec 2;6(12)e503. doi: 10.1038/bcj.2016.112.
  20. Sachs Z, Been RA, DeCoursin KJ, Nguyen HT, Mohd Hassan NA, Noble-Orcutt KE, Eckfeldt CE, Pomeroy EJ, Diaz-Flores E, Geurts JL, Diers MD, Hasz DE, Morgan KJ, MacMillan ML, Shannon KM, Largaespada DA, Wiesner SM.
    “Stat5 is critical for the development and maintenance of myeloproliferative neoplasm initiated by Nf1 deficiency.”
    Haematologica. 2016 Oct;101(10):1190-1199. PMID: 27418650
  21. Yun YS, Kim KH, Tschida B, Sachs Z, Noble-Orcutt KE, Moriarity B, Ai T, Ding R, Williams J, Chen L, Largaespada DA, Kim D.
    “mTORC1 Regulates Immunoproteasome Assembly for Protein Stress Response and Cell Survival.”
    Molecular Cell. 2016 Feb 18;61(4):625-39. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.01.013. Epub 2016 Feb 11. PMID: 26876939
  22. Moench L, Sachs Z, Aasen G, Dolan M, Dayton V, Courville EL.
    “Double- and Triple-Hit Lymphomas Can Present with Immature Features, including TdT Expression, and Create Diagnostic Challenges.”
    Leukemia and Lymphoma. 2016 Feb 18:1-10. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 26892631
  23. Trottier BJ, Sachs Z, DeFor TE, Shune L, Dolan M, Weisdorf DJ, Ustun C, Warlick ED.
    “Novel Disease Burden Assessment Predicts Allogeneic Transplantation Outcomes in Myelodysplastic Syndrome.”
    Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016 Feb;51(2):199-204. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.274. Epub 2015 Nov 23. PMID: 26595080
  24. Courville EL, Sachs Z, Linden MA.
    “Plasma Cell Neoplasms: A morphologic, cytogenetic, and Immunophenotypic approach.”
    Book chapter; Linden MAMcKenna RW, Editors. New York, NY: Springer; 2015. Standardized synoptic reports for plasma cell neoplasms: integration of laboratory and clinical data. 
  25. Kempema AM, Widen JC, Hexum JK, Andrews TE, Wang D, Rathe SK, Meece FA, Noble KE, Sachs Z, Largaespada DA, Harki DA.
    “Synthesis and antileukemic activities of C1-C10-modified parthenolide analogues.”
    Bioorg Med Chem. 2015 Aug 1;23(15):4737-45. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.05.037. Epub 2015 May 30. PMID: 26088334
  26. Ustun C, Trottier BJ, Sachs Z, DeFor TE, Shune L, Courville E, Holtan SG, Dolan M, Weisdorf DJ, Warlick ED.
    “Monosomal karyotype at the time of diagnosis or transplantation predicts outcomes of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Myelodysplastic Syndrome.”
    Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2015 Jan 22. pii: S1083-8791(15)00051-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2015.01.017. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 25620751
  27. Sachs Z, LaRue RS, Nguyen HT, Sachs K, Noble KE, Mohd Hassan NA, Diaz-Flores E, Rathe SK, Sarver AL, Bendall SC, Ha NA, Diers MD, Nolan GP, Shannon KM, Largaespada DA.
    “NRASG12V oncogene facilitates self-renewal in a murine model of acute myelogenous leukemia.”
    Blood. 2014 Nov 20;124(22):3274-83. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-08-521708. Epub 2014 Oct 14. PMID: 25316678
  28. Fall DJ, Stessman H, Patel SS, Sachs Z, Van Ness BG, Baughn LB, Linden MA.
    “Utilization of translational bioinformatics to identify novel biomarkers of bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma.”
    J Cancer. 2014 Sep 21;5(9):720-7. doi: 10.7150/jca.9864. eCollection 2014. Review. PMID: 25368671
  29. Liegel J, Courville E, Sachs Z, Ustun C.
    “Use of sorafenib for post-transplant relapse in FLT3/ITD-positive acute myelogenous leukemia: maturation induction and cytotoxic effect.”
    Haematologica. 2014 Nov;99(11):e222-4. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2014.109975. Epub 2014 Jul 11. PMID: 25015937
  30. Lunde L, Chuang C, Linden M, Williams S, Sachs Z, Cayci Zuzan, Young J, Ustun C.
    “Lethal small bowel necrosis due to aspergillosis during acute promyelocitic leukemia induction.”
    Am J Hematology 2013;88(4):329-332. PMID: 22791390
  31. Linden MA, Bachanova V, Sachs Z, Young JA, Singleton TP, Ustun C.
    “Transformed large B-cell lymphoma in rituximab-allergic patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplant: successful treatment with ofatumumab.”
    Leuk Lymphoma 2013 Jan;54(1):174-6. doi: 10.3109/10428194.2012.691484
  32. Sachs Z, Sharpless N, DePinho R, Rosenberg, N. 
    “p16Ink4a induces apoptosis during Ab-MLV transformation of pre-B cells.”
    J Virol. 2004;78(7):3304-11.
  33. Mostecki J, Halgren A, Radfar A, Sachs Z, Ravitz J, Thome KC, Rosenberg N. 
    “Loss of heterozygosity at the Ink4a/Arf locus facilitates Abelson virus transformation of pre-B cells.”
    J Virol 2000;74(20):9479-87.
  34. Berretta S, Sachs Z, Graybiel AM. 
    “Cortically driven Fos in the striatum is amplified by local dopamine D2-class receptor blockade.”
    Eur J Neurosci. 1999;11:4309-19.