Föreläsningar och seminarier Pediatric Oncology seminar

Bethel Tesfai Embaie, PhD student, Ninib Baryawno group 

Title: Delineating cellular heterogeneity of neuroblastoma models for identifying therapeutically targetable vulnerabilities. 

Summary: Neuroblastoma is characterized by its high degree of both biological and clinical heterogeneity. Combining novel multi-omics and bioinformatic approaches, we delve into both the transcriptional heterogeneity and clonal evolution of neuroblastoma cases. Given the elaborate complexity of neuroblastoma, it is important to re-evaluate the clinical relevance of commonly used preclinical models of neuroblastoma. Here, we explore the transcriptional landscape of a frequently used preclinical neuroblastoma transgenic mouse model, TH-MYCN, and together with spatial data, we utilize the bioinformatically predicted essential interactions to establish NB organoid models. This comprehensive atlas of TH-MYCN tumors provides a resource for unmasking novel therapeutic targets and organoid-based drug screening offers a tool for tailoring precision medicine. 

Halftime seminar: https://nyheter.ki.se/kalender/halftime-bethel-tesfai-embaie  

(2023-02-03, 13:00) 

Alejandro Lastra Romero, PhD student, Klas Blomgren group 

Title: Irradiation of the juvenile brain induces hippocampal microglia senescence  

Summary: Radiotherapy is an efficient tool in the treatment of high-grade brain tumors; However, it often results in long-lasting side effects, such as cognitive deficits, particularly in pediatric cancer survivors. Although the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown, one of the proposed causes is depletion of hippocampal neurogenesis, which may be impaired by the irradiation-induced neuroinflammatory microenvironment. Here, we describe a previously uncharacterized biphasic inflammatory response happening in mouse hippocampus after irradiation. Moreover, we have found that this response is driven by a multifaceted microglia activation which causes them to adopt a senescent state.  

Moderator: Adamantia Fragkopoulou, Assistant Professor