Chromatin-related factors and cellular plasticity
Nuclear receptors, transcription factors, bioinformatics
Research aim
The group focuses on chromatin-related factors and their effects on cellular phenotypes, employing a range of state-of-the-art omics techniques. Our objective is to uncover targetable pathways that can effectively eliminate cancer cells.
About us
Transcription factors have for years been considered attractive targets in cancer therapeutic development. Emergence of specific drugs for targeting these proteins led to optimized use in cancer treatment, with many of these drugs becoming part of standard-of-care regiments. The nuclear receptor family of transcription factors is of particular interest, as their pharmacological targeting leads to growth suppression in both solid and liquid cancers. While targeting nuclear receptors is initially effective, all cancers will eventually adapt and become resistant to these therapies through various mechanisms that most often include re-activation of nuclear receptor signalling through various means. Therefore, target discovery, drug development and pre-clinical testing remain a constant clinically unmet need.
The focus of our research is, thus, on the relationship of transcription factors and their target-genes and how this can generate diverse cellular states and therefore contribute to cancer cell heterogeneity. Particularly, our research lines aim to shed light on (1) the reprogramming of chromatin-related factors in relation to cell identity; (2) transcription factor structure-function in locus-specific gene regulation and genome biology; and (3) cancer cell heterogeneity on single-cell level. We believe that through exploration of these faucets of transcription factor biology we will be able to uncover novel biomarkers and potential targetable routes to treat cancer.