Cancer cells have an Achilles heel – a vulnerability in the form of a gene or biological pathway that they rely on for survival. Yara Rodriguez is working to identify such vulnerabilities in the most aggressive type of blood cancer: acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using sophisticated molecular biology and gene editing techniques to interrogate AML cells, she aims to uncover targets for their disruption. Identifying these genes or pathways can lead to potential therapies to treat AML patients.