Research team Monica Nistér

Mouse models of glioma

A long-term commitment of the group is to create mouse models of glioma. Based on previous knowledge identifying different subgroups of human glioblastomas and their molecular genetic aberrations, we mimic secondary glioblastomas in mice. These tumors are characterized by increased expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor alpha and loss of the tumor suppressor p53. Therefore, we have created transgenic mice with localized forced expression of PDGF in the mouse brain. The GFAP promoter is used to direct expression to astrocytic cells of the brain and the transgenic mice are bred into a p53 null background.

Human brain tumors

We study brain tumors in children and adults, focusing on genomic aberrations and cancer stem cell features. We address the importance of growth factor signaling in human glioma, analyzing growth factor receptors and other parameters determining responsiveness to tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Tumor cell heterogeneity

In order to understand mechanisms of tumor cell heterogeneity, we have defined differences among glioma cell subpopulations. Differentially expressed genes are studied by sequence analysis, bioinformatics, cDNA cloning and expression in cells for functional studies.

Group members

Monica Nistér, MD, PhD, professor
Jian Zhao, PhD, researcher
Daniel Hägerstrand, PhD, assistant professor
Anna Hedrén, PhD, research engineer
Saad Alqahtani, MD, PhD post doc
Maxime Garcia, PhD, bioinformatician
Szilveszter Juhos, bioinformatician
Katarzyna Zielinska-Chomej, PhD, laboratory engineer
Johanna Sandgren, PhD, project coordinator
Christopher Illies, MD, PhD
Abiel Orrego, Md, PhD
Rong Yu, post doc
Min Guo, post doc
Elisa Basmaci, BMS, BSc, coordinator
Alia Shamikh, PhD, post doc
Gabriela Prochazka, PhD, assistant coordinator

Prostate Cancer

Chunde Li, MD, PhD, Associate Professsor
Zhuo-Chun Peng, PhD student
Yuanjun Ma, PhD student

Dissertations

23-05-2023