Research Groups
Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research houses 26 research groups and their research is divided into four main research areas: Cancer genomics, Basic disease mechanisms, Molecular pathology and therapeutics as well as Tumor immunology. All research groups at the centre have access to biobanks of a large variety of cancer diagnoses, together with an advanced collection of modern equipment.
Within the research area Cancer Genomics, our researchers contribute to the understanding of the alterations to the genetic material, the DNA, in cancer cells.
The researchers use both array technologies, fluorescence in-situ hybridization, chromosome painting techniques and next-generation sequencing. These techniques helps us to investigate important information on the genetic cause of tumors such as salivary gland tumors, glioma and breast cancer. The role of viruses in cancer is being explored as well.
Cancers are complex organs which requires multiple mutations to develop. Modelling of tumours, in culture or in animal models, enables in-depth studies of the cause, treatment and prevention of cancer.
Within the research area Basic disease mechanism/tumour biology, our researchers investigate how different cancers types such as lung cancer, leukemia and thyroid cancer develop. Also investigated in the program is resistance development to chemotherapy and the role of antioxidants in cancer.
Within the Molecular pathology and therapeutics research area, the development of new biomarkers or methods to study biomarkers are being investigated. These include biomarkers in the blood or other routine diagnostic samples from patients with melanoma, gynecological cancers, childhood cancers and prostate cancer.
Some groups are also working with developing cell and animal models to study novel therapies against for instance neuroendocrine cancers, breast cancer or pancreas cancer.
Tumours are populated by many different cell types and learning to control the immune system to achieve curative treatments of cancer patients has become a key factor within this field.
Our researchers within the Tumour Immunology research area investigate the development of treatments that can prevent the reemergence of leukemia by activating immune cells. Immune-humanized mouse models and other novel animal models, therapies and clinical trials against leukemia and solid cancers, such as melanoma, are being developed as well.
