Oncology
Team EDC
Extrachromosomal DNA in Cancer
The objective of the group will be to investigate the formation, maintenance and consequences of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) in cancer using cutting edge single-cell screening and spatial technologies. ecDNA leads to high amplification of oncogenes or genes involved in drug resistance under selective pressures and has a prominent role in cancer heterogeneity. The overarching goal will be to identify druggable targets that reduce ecDNA abundance in cancer – and hence ablating a potent tool of genetic heterogeneity and a powerhorse of drug resistance in cancer.
Mentors
- Dr. Balca Mardin (Industry mentor)
Head of Laboratory, DNA Damage Response Research at Merck - Dr. Sebastian M. Waszak (Academic mentor)
Group Leader, Computational Oncology Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo & Associate Professor, Neurology, University of California, San Francisco
Our Team Members
Dr. Alexandros Drainas
Group Leader
Short Bio
- 2018 – 2022: Postdoc in investigating drug resistance and cancer heterogeneity in Small Cell Lung Cancer in the laboratory of Prof. Julien Sage; TRDRP fellow, Division of Pediatrics and Genetics, Stanford Medical University, Stanford, CA, USA
- 2017 – 2018: PhD Graduate in Dr. Jan Korbel’s laboratory, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
- 2012 – 2016: PhD in Molecular Biology. Supervisor: Dr. Jan Korbel, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
Dr. Kun-Yi Lai
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2016 – 2021: PhD in virology supervised by Prof. Dr. Mario Schelhaas at the Institute of Cellular Virology, University of Münster, Germany
- 2012 – 2014: Master of Science in microbiology at the National Taiwan University, Taiwan
- 2008 – 2012: Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences at the Chang Gung University, Taiwan
Laura Schoppe
PhD Student
Short Bio
- 2021 – 2023 Senior Scientist at GSK, Cellzome in Heidelberg, Germany
- 2018 – 2021 Master of Science in Molecular Biosciences with a major in Cancer Biology at Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- 2015 – 2018 Bachelor of Science in Biosciences at Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Team EDC Alumni
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