LABORATORY ONCOLOGY
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

We expose cancer’s weak spots

RNDr. Jan Škoda, Ph.D.

E-mail: jan.skoda@fnusa.cz

Key words

Cancer Stem Cells, Signaling Pathways, Pediatric Solid Tumors, Precision Medicine, Mitochondrial Dynamics.

Research focus

  • Laboratory translational research – with main focus on pediatric oncology – in close cooperation with clinicians and pathologists represents an important approach bringing new information concerning tumor biology from bench to bedside. This strategy encompasses especially the identification of activated signaling molecules within tumors that can be targeted by specific low-molecular-weight inhibitors.
  • Research of cancer stem cell phenotype in relation to the tumorigenicity and resistance to the conventional therapy.
  • Main partners: Michael Hogarty (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA; Dr. Lucília Saraiva (University of Porto, Portugalsko); Dr. Patric Jan Jansson (University of Sydney, Austrálie); Prof. Dr. Igor Adameyko (Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Švédsko / Medical University of Vienna, Rakousko)

Main goals

  • Identification of activated RTK and downstream signaling pathways as druggable molecular targets in relapsed / refractory pediatric solid tumors and giant cell tumor of bone.
  • Analysis of the expression of key stemness factors and p53 family proteins in relation to the tumorigenicity of sarcoma cells.
  • Deciphering the role of mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy in acquisition of stemness using clinically relevant models of resistance development in pediatric solid tumors.

Technological equipment

  • Cell Culture Unit (BSL-2 level) for primary cultures and established cell lines including GMOs
  • Microscopy Unit for immunofluorescence imaging and image analyses
  • 7500 Fast Real-Time PCR System (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA)
  • Azure 600 Western Blot Imaging System (Azure Biosystems, Dublin, CA, USA)
  • CytoFLEX S flow cytometer (Beckman Coulter, Indianapolis, IN, USA)
  • IncuCyte SX1 live-cell imaging system (Sartorius, Goettingen, Germany)