Research Interests:
Drug resistance is one of the main treatment barriers in cancer therapy. Understanding how resistance emerges and how to overcome it are crucial to the development of new therapeutics. I am interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance as well as relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and multiple myeloma (MM). Factors such as tumor heterogeneity as well as cell intrinsic and microenvironmental changes lead to drug refraction. Understanding these mechanisms and creating novel drug combinations targeting multiple tumorigenic pathways, will result in a more specific, efficient and sustained therapy with potentially less side-effects.
Education
- PhD, Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia and Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Supervisor: Dixie Mager)
- BSc, Genetics (Honours), Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia and Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Supervisor: Dixie Mager)
Post-doctoral Training
- Internal Medicine III, Clinical Comprehensive Centre, University Hospital Ulm and DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany (Mentors: Claudia Scholl and Stefan Fröhling)
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Clinical Comprehensive Centre, University Hospital Ulm, Germany (Mentor: Christian Buske)
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Mentor: Dixie Mager)
Professional Experience
- Staff Scientist, Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer (2018 - present)
- Principal Investigator, Collaborative Research Center (SFB 1074, project A5), University Hospital, Ulm, Germany (2012-2018)
- Principal Investigator, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Clinical Comprehensive Centre, University Hospital Ulm (2011-2014)
- Young Principal Investigator, Start-up grant (Baustein), Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm (2011-2012)
Adjunct Professor, Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia (2021 - present)
Staff Scientist, Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer (2018 - present)
Lecturer, University Hospital Ulm, Master Online Advanced Oncology (2010-ongoing)
PhD, Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
BSc, Genetics (Honours), Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia