ITN Participating Laboratories and Research Projects

This training network is based on the unifying guiding hypothesis that sex hormone action (Work Package 1) and chronic inflammation (Work Package 2) are important determinants of increased cancer risk in aging populations, and that insights in these fields can be used for novel translational applications (Work Package 3). As illustrated in the figure, we will focus on breast and skin cancer as benchmarks of major clinical significance, in organs with reproductive and non-reproductive functions, respectively. The enrolled PhD students (ESRs) will address the links between sex hormone signaling, persistent chronic inflammation, and genetic and behavioral/environmental cancer risk factors. They will devote most of their time and efforts to develop an in depth research project in one of the main participating laboratories under the direct supervion of one of the Principla Investigators (PIs). However, they are expected to further develop and carry out some of their research work in one or more of the other participating laboratories, under the joint supervision of other PIs. On top of rigorous research training, an essential objective of the program is for students to develop scientific communication and outreach skills, which may lead to new career opportunities in academia or the private sector. 

Summary of CANCERPREV research topics and interactions. CANCERPREV studies breast and skin cancer as benchmarks of cancer development in organs with reproductive or non-reproductive functions (B). The unifying hypothesis is that deregulation of sex hormone signaling (WP1) and inflammation (WP2) play key roles in susceptibility and premalignant to malignant conversion of both tumor types, and that insights can be exploited clinically (WP3).

Participating laboratories and available research projects

– Cathrin Brisken – Laboratory of breast carcinogenesis, EPFL, Switzerland – PhD projects 1 – 2

– G. Paolo Dotto – Laboratory of skin cancer prevention, University of Lausanne, Switzerland – PhD projects 3 – 4

– Kathryn Hess – Laboratory for topology and neuroscience, EPFL, Switzerland –  PhD project 5

– Jaakko Kaprio – Laboratory of Genetic Epidemiology, FIMM, HILIFE, University of Helsinki, Finfland –  PhD project 6

– Erwin Wagner – Genes and Diseases laboratory, University of Vienna Medical School, Austria – PhD project 7, 8

– Wim Declercq – VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Gent University, Belgium – PhD project 9, 10

– Brent Page – Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Karolinska Institute, Sweden – PhD project 11  

– Michael Altun, Laboratory of biotechnology and drug discovery, Karolinska Institute, Sweden – PhD project 12

– Emmy Verschuren – Laboratory of Lung Cancer Model Systems, FIMM, HILIFE, University of Helsinki, Finland – PhD project 13

– Giovanna Chiorino – Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, Fondazione Edo e Elvo Tempia, Biella, Italy- PhD project 14, 15