Ninib Baryawno
About me
The lab focus is to solve problems that limit the ability of cancer therapy to be used more effectively against deadly forms of pediatric cancers and adult cancers.
Dr Ninib Baryawno received his PhD diploma at Karolinska Institutet under the supervision of associate professor John Inge Johnsen and professor Per Kogner. His thesis work focused on developing novel therapeutics based on better biological understanding of the childhood brain tumor medulloblastoma. A disorder of development, arising mostly in the cerebellum during embryogenesis and is largely dictated by events in stem cell regulatory signaling pathways. His research was published as a thesis “New Potential Targets in Medulloblastoma Therapy – Studies on Cellular Mechanisms and Mediators”, and defended in February 2010. It was the interest in stem cell based approaches to disease that brought Dr Baryawno together with professor David Scadden at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital in 2011. Dr Baryawno was a postdoctoral fellow in the Scadden lab until 2017 where he applied single-cell RNA-sequencing to study how the hematopoietic stem cell niche supports the outgrowth of murine leukemia and human bone metastases.
Dr Baryawno became Assistant professor at Karolinska Institutet in January 2018.
Research training:
- 2001-2005, Biomedicine program, Karolinska Institutet.
- 2005-2010, PhD training, Karolinska Institutet.
- 2011-2017, Postdoc fellowship, Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital.
- 2018, Assistant pProfessor, Karolinska Institutet.
- 2023, Associate Professor (Docent), Karolinska Institutet.
- 2023, Group leader, Karolinska Institutet.
Research
The lab's focus is to solve problems that limit the ability of cancer therapy to be used more effectively against deadly forms of pediatric cancers and adult cancers. We focus our research on pediatric tumors of the nervous system such as neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma, and bone metastases from different tumor origins.
Our research is balanced by a commitment to the value of basic and translational research. This effort is based on the integrated approach of single-cell technologies, computational modeling, and functional preclinical testing, directed at understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer development, tumor cell dissemination, and cancer resistance.
Read more about our work here at http://baryawnolab.com/.
Research expertise:- Childhood cancer (neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma)
- Metastatic cancer (neuroblastoma, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma)
- Tumor microenvironment (stroma, immune cells)
- Basic and translational
- Single-cell omics
- Preclinical modeling (organoids/tumoroids, animals)
Teaching
Teaching at Karolinska Institutet, lectures and seminars:
- Pediatric oncology course 2017, 2021 (graduates, 13h)
- Medical Medicine – Oncology 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and current (undergraduates, 75 hours)
- Tumor Biology Course 2018 (undergraduates/graduates; 20 hours, )
- Advanced Course in Tumor Biology 2018 (graduates, 1h)
- Vascular Cell Biology Course 2019 (graduates, 1h)
- Regenerative Medicine (undergraduates, 1h)
Articles
- Article: CANCER LETTERS. 2025;625:217769Milosevic J; Fransson S; Svensson J; Otte J; Olsen TK; Sveinbjornsson B; Hertwig F; Bartenhagen C; Abel F; Reinsbach SE; Djos A; Javanmardi N; Shi Y; Hehir-Kwa JY; Mensenkamp A; Tytgat GAM; Holmberg J; Molenaar JJ; Jongmans M; Fischer M; Baryawno N; Gisselsson D; Martinsson T; Kogner P; Johnsen JI
- Article: MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH. 2025;23(7):653-665Mei S; Zhang H; Hirz T; Jeffries NE; Xu Y; Baryawno N; Wu S; Wu C-L; Patnaik A; Saylor PJ; Sykes DB; Dahl DM
- Article: PLOS ONE. 2025;20(4):e0321020Kim Y; Yeuni Y; Heo HJ; Kim ES; Myung K; Baryawno N; Kim YH; Oh C-K
- Article: CANCER RESEARCH. 2025;85(6):1015-1034Embaie BT; Sarkar H; Alchahin AM; Otte J; Olsen TK; Tummler C; Kameneva P; Artemov AV; Akkuratova N; Adameyko I; Stukenborg J-B; Wickstrom M; Kogner P; Johnsen JI; Mei S; Kharchenko PV; Baryawno N
- Article: PLOS ONE. 2025;20(1):e0315981Lee H; Ko DS; Heo HJ; Baek SE; Kim EK; Kwon EJ; Kang J; Yu Y; Baryawno N; Kim K; Lee D; Kim YH
- Article: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS. 2024;741:151075Bae HE; Baryawno N; Kim BS; Yoon S; Oh S-O; Jo E-K; Kim CD; Lee D
- Article: CANCERS. 2024;16(24):4162Tsea I; Olsen TK; Polychronopoulos PA; Tummler C; Sykes DB; Baryawno N; Dyberg C
- Journal article: NEURO-ONCOLOGY ADVANCES. 2024;6(1):vdae172Ruchiy Y; Tsea I; Preka E; Verhoeven BM; Olsen TK; Mei S; Sinha I; Blomgren K; Carlson L-M; Dyberg C; Johnsen JI; Baryawno N
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. 2024;25(19):10517Woo S-Y; Shim W-S; Lee H; Baryawno N; Song P; Kim BS; Yoon S; Oh S-O; Lee D
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. 2024;25(19):10381Kang N; Kim J; Kwon M; Son Y; Eo S-K; Baryawno N; Kim BS; Yoon S; Oh S-O; Lee D; Kim K
- Article: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION. 2024;134(21):e175310Nagarajan D; Parracho RT; Corujo D; Xie M; Kutkaite G; Olsen TK; Bedos MR; Salehi M; Baryawno N; Menden MP; Chen X; Buschbeck M; Mao Y
- Journal article: CANCER RESEARCH. 2024;84(17):b060Verhoeven BM; Ye K; Stenman J; Kogner P; Johnsen JI; Reina OB; Kreslavskiy T; Baryawno N
- Article: MOLECULAR CANCER. 2024;23(1):180Olsen TK; Otte J; Mei S; Embaie BT; Kameneva P; Cheng H; Gao T; Zachariadis V; Tsea I; Bjorklund A; Kryukov E; Hou Z; Johansson A; Sundstrom E; Martinsson T; Fransson S; Stenman J; Fard SS; Johnsen JI; Kogner P; Adameyko I; Enge M; Kharchenko PV; Baryawno N
- Article: JCI INSIGHT. 2024;9(6):e173337Mei S; Alchahin AM; Embaie BT; Gavriliuc IM; Verhoeven BM; Zhao T; Li X; Jeffries NE; Pepich A; Sarkar H; Olsen TK; Wickstrom M; Stenman J; Reina-Bedoya O; Kharchenko PV; Saylor PJ; Johnsen JI; Sykes DB; Kogner P; Baryawno N
- Article: CANCER CELL. 2024;42(2):283-300.e8Wienke J; Visser LL; Kholosy WM; Keller KM; Barisa M; Poon E; Munnings-Tomes S; Himsworth C; Calton E; Rodriguez A; Bernardi R; Ham FVD; Hooff SRV; Matser YAH; Tas ML; Langenberg KPS; Lijnzaad P; Borst AL; Zappa E; Bergsma FJ; Strijker JGM; Verhoeven BM; Mei S; Kramdi A; Restuadi R; Sanchez-Bernabeu A; Cornel AM; Holstege FCP; Gray JC; Tytgat GAM; Scheijde-Vermeulen MA; Wijnen MHWA; Dierselhuis MP; Straathof K; Behjati S; Wu W; Heck AJR; Koster J; Nierkens S; Janoueix-Lerosey I; Krijger RRD; Baryawno N; Chesler L; Anderson J; Caron HN; Margaritis T; Noesel MMV; Molenaar JJ
- Article: GENOME MEDICINE. 2024;16(1):1Mei S; Alchahin AM; Tsea I; Kfoury Y; Hirz T; Jeffries NE; Zhao T; Xu Y; Zhang H; Sarkar H; Wu S; Subtelny AO; Johnsen JI; Zhang Y; Salari K; Wu C-L; Randolph MA; Scadden DT; Dahl DM; Shin J; Kharchenko PV; Saylor PJ; Sykes DB; Baryawno N
- Article: NEURO-ONCOLOGY ADVANCES. 2024;6(1):vdae172Ruchiy Y; Tsea I; Preka E; Verhoeven BM; Olsen TK; Mei S; Sinha I; Blomgren K; Carlson L-M; Dyberg C; Johnsen JI; Baryawno N
- Article: ONCOIMMUNOLOGY. 2023;12(1):2184130Valind A; Verhoeven BM; Enoksson J; Karlsson J; Christensson G; Manas A; Aaltonen K; Jansson C; Bexell D; Baryawno N; Gisselsson D; Hagerling C
- Article: JCI INSIGHT. 2023;8(17):e167858Massengale M; Massengale JL; Benson CR; Baryawno N; Oki T; Steinhauser ML; Wang A; Balani D; Oh LS; Randolph MA; Gill TJ; Kronenberg HM; Scadden DT
- Article: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2023;14(1):663Hirz T; Mei S; Sarkar H; Kfoury Y; Wu S; Verhoeven BM; Subtelny AO; Zlatev DV; Wszolek MW; Salari K; Murray E; Chen F; Macosko EZ; Wu C-L; Scadden DT; Dahl DM; Baryawno N; Saylor PJ; Kharchenko PV; Sykes DB
- Article: CELL DEATH & DISEASE. 2022;13(10):916Woo S-Y; Lee H; Park SM; Choi H-S; Kim J; Kwon M; Sohn J; Nam JH; Kim H-S; Song P; Baryawno N; Kim Y-H; Kim K; Lee D
- Article: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2022;13(1):5747Alchahin AM; Mei S; Tsea I; Hirz T; Kfoury Y; Dahl D; Wu C-L; Subtelny AO; Wu S; Scadden DT; Shin JH; Saylor PJ; Sykes DB; Kharchenko PV; Baryawno N
- Article: JCI INSIGHT. 2022;7(17):e153836Olsen TK; Dyberg C; Embaie BT; Alchahin A; Milosevic J; Ding J; Otte J; Tummler C; Myrberg IH; Westerhout EM; Koster J; Versteeg R; Ding H-F; Kogner P; Johnsen JI; Sykes DB; Baryawno N
- Article: CELL REPORTS MEDICINE. 2022;3(6):100657Verhoeven BM; Mei S; Olsen TK; Gustafsson K; Valind A; Lindstrom A; Gisselsson D; Fard SS; Hagerling C; Kharchenko PV; Kogner P; Johnsen JI; Baryawno N
- Article: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 2022;12(1):7519Jo A; Kwak J-H; Woo S-Y; Kim B-Y; Son Y; Choi H-S; Kim J; Kwon M; Cho H-R; Eo S-K; Nam JH; Kim H-S; Baryawno N; Lee D; Kim K
- Article: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH. 2022;12(12):5532-5551Lim DM; Kang J; Woo S-Y; Choi H-S; Kwon M; Kim J; Park HR; Jung K; Baryawno N; Kim H-S; Lee D; Kim YH
- Article: ELIFE. 2021;10:e66512Fast EM; Sporrij A; Manning M; Rocha EL; Yang S; Zhou Y; Guo J; Baryawno N; Barkas N; Scadden D; Camargo F; Zon LI
- Article: CANCER CELL. 2021;39(11):1464-1478.e8Kfoury Y; Baryawno N; Severe N; Mei S; Gustafsson K; Hirz T; Brouse T; Scadden EW; Igolkina AA; Kokkaliaris K; Choi BD; Barkas N; Randolph MA; Shin JH; Saylor PJ; Scadden DT; Sykes DB; Kharchenko PV
- Article: CANCERS. 2021;13(21):5493Milosevic J; Fransson S; Gulyas M; Olsen TK; Gallo-Oller G; Treis D; Elfman LHM; Wilhelm M; Martinsson T; Baryawno N; Kogner P; Johnsen JI
- Article: NATURE METHODS. 2021;18(8):912-920Andrews N; Serviss JT; Geyer N; Andersson AB; Dzwonkowska E; Sutevski I; Heijboer R; Baryawno N; Gerling M; Enge M
- Article: NATURE GENETICS. 2021;53(5):694-706Kameneva P; Artemov AV; Kastriti ME; Faure L; Olsen TK; Otte J; Erickson A; Semsch B; Andersson ER; Ratz M; Frisen J; Tischler AS; de Krijger RR; Bouderlique T; Akkuratova N; Vorontsova M; Gusev O; Fried K; Sundstrom E; Mei S; Kogner P; Baryawno N; Kharchenko PV; Adameyko I
- Article: BLOOD. 2020;136(11):1303-1316Yusuf RZ; Saez B; Sharda A; van Gastel N; Yu VWC; Baryawno N; Scadden EW; Acharya S; Chattophadhyay S; Huang C; Viswanathan V; S'aulis D; Cobert J; Sykes DB; Keibler MA; Das S; Hutchinson JN; Churchill M; Mukherjee S; Lee D; Mercier F; Doench J; Bullinger L; Logan DJ; Schreiber S; Stephanopoulos G; Rizzo WB; Scadden DT
- Article: CELL METABOLISM. 2020;32(3):391-403.e6van Gastel N; Spinelli JB; Sharda A; Schajnovitz A; Baryawno N; Rhee C; Oki T; Grace E; Soled HJ; Milosevic J; Sykes DB; Hsu PP; Vander Heiden MG; Vidoudez C; Trauger SA; Haigis MC; Scadden DT
- Article: NATURE. 2020;579(7797):111-117van Gastel N; Stegen S; Eelen G; Schoors S; Carlier A; Daniels VW; Baryawno N; Przybylski D; Depypere M; Stiers P-J; Lambrechts D; Van Looveren R; Torrekens S; Sharda A; Agostinis P; Lambrechts D; Maes F; Swinnen JV; Geris L; Van Oosterwyck H; Thienpont B; Carmeliet P; Scadden DT; Carmeliet G
- Article: CELL STEM CELL. 2019;25(4):570-583.e7Severe N; Karabacak NM; Gustafsson K; Baryawno N; Courties G; Kfoury Y; Kokkaliaris KD; Rhee C; Lee D; Scadden EW; Garcia-Robledo JE; Brouse T; Nahrendorf M; Toner M; Scadden DT
- Article: CELL. 2019;177(7):1915-1932.e16Baryawno N; Przybylski D; Kowalczyk MS; Kfoury Y; Severe N; Gustafsson K; Kokkaliaris KD; Mercier F; Tabaka M; Hofree M; Dionne D; Papazian A; Lee D; Ashenberg O; Subramanian A; Vaishnav ED; Rozenblatt-Rosen O; Regev A; Scadden DT
- Article: CANCER RESEARCH. 2018;78(18):5300-5314Ubellacker JM; Baryawno N; Severe N; DeCristo MJ; Sceneay J; Hutchinson JN; Haider M-T; Rhee CS; Qin Y; Gregory WM; Garrido-Castro AC; Holen I; Brown JE; Coleman RE; Scadden DT; McAllister SS
- Article: GENOME BIOLOGY. 2018;19(1):78Petukhov V; Guo J; Baryawno N; Severe N; Scadden DT; Samsonova MG; Kharchenko PV
- Journal article: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION. 2018;128(6):2651Dietrich J; Baryawno N; Nayyar N; Valtis YK; Yang B; Ly I; Besnard A; Severe N; Gustafsson KU; Andronesi OC; Batchelor TT; Sahay A; Scadden DT
- Journal article: NEUROLOGY. 2018;90(15_supplement)Dietrich J; Baryawno N; Nayyar N; Valtis Y; Yang B; Ly I; Besnard A; Severe N; Gustafsson K; Andronesi O; Batchelor T; Sahay A; Scadden D
- Article: CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY. 2018;122(1):e57Olsen TK; Baryawno N
- Article: CELL. 2018;172(1-2):191-204.e10Hoggatt J; Singh P; Tate TA; Chou B-K; Datari SR; Fukuda S; Liu L; Kharchenko PV; Schajnovitz A; Baryawno N; Mercier FE; Boyer J; Gardner J; Morrow DM; Scadden DT; Pelus LM
- Article: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION. 2018;128(1):281-293Dietrich J; Baryawno N; Nayyar N; Valtis YK; Yang B; Ly I; Besnard A; Severe N; Gustafsson KU; Andronesi OC; Batchelor TT; Sahay A; Scadden DT
- Article: SCIENCE. 2017;358(6367):eaal5081Engblom C; Pfirschke C; Zilionis R; Martins JDS; Bos SA; Courties G; Rickelt S; Severe N; Baryawno N; Faget J; Savova V; Zemmour D; Kline J; Siwicki M; Garris C; Pucci F; Liao H-W; Lin Y-J; Newton A; Yaghi OK; Iwamoto Y; Tricot B; Wojtkiewicz GR; Nahrendorf M; Cortez-Retamozo V; Meylan E; Hynes RO; Demay M; Klein A; Bredella MA; Scadden DT; Weissleder R; Pittet MJ
- Article: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION. 2017;127(4):1405-1413Kalaitzidis D; Lee D; Efeyan A; Kfoury Y; Nayyar N; Sykes DB; Mercier FE; Papazian A; Baryawno N; Victora GD; Neuberg D; Sabatini DM; Scadden DT
- Journal article: CELL. 2017;168(5):944-945Yu VWC; Yusuf RZ; Oki T; Wu J; Saez B; Wang X; Cook C; Baryawno N; Ziller MJ; Lee E; Gu H; Meissner A; Lin CP; Kharchenko PV; Scadden DT
- Journal article: BLOOD. 2016;128(22):430Severe N; Karabacak M; Baryawno N; Gustafsson K; Kfoury YS; Toner M; Scadden DT
- Article: CELL. 2016;167(5):1310-1322.e17Yu VWC; Yusuf RZ; Oki T; Wu J; Saez B; Wang X; Cook C; Baryawno N; Ziller MJ; Lee E; Gu H; Meissner A; Lin CP; Kharchenko PV; Scadden DT
- Article: CELL STEM CELL. 2016;19(4):530-543Silberstein L; Goncalves KA; Kharchenko PV; Turcotte R; Kfoury Y; Mercier F; Baryawno N; Severe N; Bachand J; Spencer JA; Papazian A; Lee D; Chitteti BR; Srour EF; Hoggatt J; Tate T; Lo Celso C; Ono N; Nutt S; Heino J; Sipila K; Shioda T; Osawa M; Lin CP; Hu G-F; Scadden DT
- Article: MOLECULAR & CELLULAR ONCOLOGY. 2016;3(2):e1131356Johnsen JI; Wickstrom M; Baryawno N
- Article: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2015;6:8904Wickstrom M; Dyberg C; Milosevic J; Einvik C; Calero R; Sveinbjornsson B; Sanden E; Darabi A; Siesjo P; Kool M; Kogner P; Baryawno N; Johnsen JI
- Journal article: CELL RESEARCH. 2014;24(10):1151-1152Baryawno N; Scadden DT
- Article: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS. 2014;450(4):1600-1605Marino A-M; Frijhoff J; Calero R; Baryawno N; Ostman A; Johnsen JI
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER. 2013;133(10):2351-2361Wolmer-Solberg N; Baryawno N; Rahbar A; Fuchs D; Odeberg J; Taher C; Wilhelmi V; Milosevic J; Mohammad A-A; Martinsson T; Sveinbjornsson B; Johnsen JI; Kogner P; Soederberg-Naucler C
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER. 2013;132(7):1516-1524Wickstrom M; Dyberg C; Shimokawa T; Milosevic J; Baryawno N; Fuskevag OM; Larsson R; Kogner P; Zaphiropoulos PG; Johnsen JI
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY. 2013;42(4):1239-1248Pettersen I; Baryawno N; Abel F; Bakkelund WH; Zykova SN; Winberg J-O; Moens U; Rasmuson A; Kogner P; Johnsen JI; Sveinbjornsson B
- Article: ONCOTARGET. 2011;2(12):1329-1338Johnsen JI; Baryawno N; Soderberg-Naucler C
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER. 2011;129(12):2958-2965Segerstrom L; Baryawno N; Sveinbjornsson B; Wickstrom M; Elfman L; Kogner P; Johnsen JI
- Article: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION. 2011;121(10):4043-4055Baryawno N; Rahbar A; Wolmer-Solberg N; Taher C; Odeberg J; Darabi A; Khan Z; Sveinbjornsson B; Fuskevag O-M; Segerstrom L; Nordenskjold M; Siesjo P; Kogner P; Johnsen JI; Soderberg-Naucler C
- Article: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS. 2011;411(1):208-212Marino A-M; Sofiadis A; Baryawno N; Johnsen JI; Larsson C; Vukojevic V; Ekstrom TJ
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY. 2011;38(3):843-849Philipova T; Baryawno N; Hartmann W; Pietsch T; Drud H; Johnsen JI; Ekstrom TJ
- Article: CELL CYCLE. 2010;9(13):2548-2554Baryawno N; Sveinbjornsson B; Kogner P; Johnsen JI
- Article: CANCER RESEARCH. 2010;70(1):266-276Baryawno N; Sveinbjornsson B; Eksborg S; Chen C-S; Kogner P; Johnsen JI
- Article: FASEB JOURNAL. 2008;22(10):3525-3536Sveinbjornsson B; Rasmuson A; Baryawno N; Wan M; Pettersen I; Ponthan F; Orrego A; Haeggstrom JZ; Johnsen JI; Kogner P
- Article: NEURO-ONCOLOGY. 2008;10(5):661-674Baryawno N; Sveinbjornsson B; Eksborg S; Orrego A; Segerstrom L; Oqvist CO; Holm S; Gustavsson B; Kagedal B; Kogner P; Johnsen JI
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All other publications
- Review: CANCERS. 2023;15(19):4734Alchahin AM; Tsea I; Baryawno N
- Preprint: BIORXIV. 2022Alchahin AM; Mei S; Tsea I; Hirz T; Kfoury Y; Dahl D; Wu C-L; Subtelny AO; Wu S; Scadden DT; Shin JH; Saylor PJ; Sykes DB; Kharchenko PV; Baryawno N
- Editorial comment: CELL STEM CELL. 2017;20(5):590-592Baryawno N; Severe N; Scadden DT
- Doctoral thesis: 2010Baryawno N
Grants
- Swedish Research Council1 December 2023 - 30 November 2026Neuroblastoma is the most common and most devastating solid tumor in children. Despite intensive multimodal therapy, long-term survival in high-risk disease is only 50% and chances of survival after a relapse are dismal. Neuroblastoma is a radio-sensitive tumor, making targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy attractive, by delivering radiation to the cancer cells, wherever they reside in the body. We are leading a European multicenter trial where the efficacy of radiopharmaceutical therapy with 177-Lutetium, is being assessed in high-risk neuroblastoma in children (LuDO-N trial). One of the greatest challenges is that patients who experience a relapse are severely weakened by the cancer and by previous therapy, and optimally this type of treatment should be given at an earlier time point. For this purpose, we aim to develop radio-pharmaceutical therapy based on 225-actinium or 211-astathine, that emits a significantly higher radiation energy within a very congined space, to deplete single, or small clusters of metastatic cells and thus prevent metastatic relapses. The overriding aim is to generate data to support a future clinical trial that utilises targeted α-particle therapy early in the course of the disease. By controlling the systemic disease early, we believe that the cure rates in high-risk neuroblastoma could be significantly improved. We aim to translate our results into a clinical trial in humans, within a time period of 5-10 years.
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2022 - 31 December 2025The knowledge of normal embryonic development of a cell lineage is key to understand the heterogeneity and progression of cancer arising from this particular lineage. Cancer cells replay gene expression modules active during developmental dynamics in specific microenvironments. Indeed, the interactions between the tumor and its microenvironment are often critical to uncovering the mechanisms of tumor survival. Our preliminary data has identified malignant Schwann Precursor cells (tSCPs) as the putative neuroblastoma stem cell. We believe that tSCPs produce malignant adrenergic and mesenchymal cell-states and facilitate the survival of the tumor. Building on our expertise with preclinical modeling, we will generate in vitro and in vivo models that recapitulate tSCPs, that will be further used to characterize the function and preclinical targeting of these cells. Moreover, we have already used our single-cell profiling data on human neuroblastoma and normal fetal sympatho-adrenal tissue to identify the sources and nature of microenvironment signals that channel sympatho-adrenal differentiation during normal development. By contrasting interactions in normal fetal and neuroblastoma tissue, we aim to target factors, pathways, or signals that would push tSCP towards terminally differentiated tumor cell fates with the long-term goal to cure childhood neuroblastoma.
- Barncancerfonden1 January 2022 - 31 December 2022
- Dissecting the cellular and molecular landscape of human neuroblastoma as a tool for developing novel therapeutic targetsSwedish Cancer Society1 January 2019Neuroblastoma is one of the most aggressive forms of childhood cancer. Despite intensive treatment, the survival of high-risk patients is less than half. The reason for this is because many of these tumors after a while developed resistance to cytotoxic drugs and therefore started to grow again, which makes the cancer very difficult to treat. There is therefore a great need to identify critical biological mechanisms that lead to treatment resistance and thus to relapse. By increasing the biological understanding of neuroblastoma, we can thus develop new treatments that provide better survival for high-risk patients with neuroblastoma. In order to discover which cells and genes drive resistance to cancer treatment, we will in this study use single cell analysis. Using single-cell analysis, we will map in detail the cellular and genetic composition of human neuroblastoma that has undergone treatment. This analysis will allow us to create a cell map of neuroblastoma and, using functional cell culture experiments and animal models, identify which cells and genes are resistant to neuroblastoma treatment. Through single-cell analysis of human neuroblastoma, we hope to identify the different cell types in cancer that drive resistance to cancer treatment. With this increased biological understanding, we hope to find new new targeted therapies that specifically target mechanisms that drive resilience to treatment and, in the long run, improve the survival of migraine patients with neuroblastoma.
- Swedish Research Council1 July 2012 - 30 June 2015
Employments
- Principal Researcher, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-
Degrees and Education
- Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2023
- Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 2010
- Master Of Medical Science, Karolinska Institutet, 2007