About us

The Cancer Genomics group aims to uncover genetic and biological factors that intimately contribute to the development and progression of cancer, especially breast and pancreatic cancers. The ultimate goal is to identify factors that can be utilized in the clinical management of cancer patients either as diagnostic or prognostic markers or as targets of therapy.

Research interests and expertise

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a group of growth factors that are important players during development but also contribute to cancer formation and progression. We are particularly interested in studying the role of BMP4 in the regulation of the behavior of breast cancer cells. We use both in vitro and in vivo models to assess the function of BMP4 in controlling the proliferation and migration / invasion capability of cancer cells. High-throughput genomic methods are used to identify target genes whose expression is regulated by BMP4 and the specific transcription factors that mediate these responses. In addition, large breast cancer patient materials are used to assess the clinical relevance of BMP4 as well as other components of the signaling pathway.

Our second research area focusses on nucleocytoplasmic transport, which is central to the function of eukaryotic cells. Defects in nuclear import result in incorrect localization of proteins subsequently leading to various diseases including cancer. We are especially interested in the role of karyopherin alpha 7 (KPNA7) and its cargo proteins in the regulation of cancer cell associated phenotypes, mainly the control of cancer cell growth.