About the group
The research group was established in 2008 at Akershus University Hospital and is working on typical translational cancer research projects covering breast cancer as the main topic but touching also on various other cancer types and topics, including melanoma and uro-genital cancers.
Breast cancer research
The research involves studying various factors driving both the development and progression of breast cancer.
We perform integrative analyses using data from classical endocrinology in addition to molecular data from different “omic” levels, such as:
- microRNA
- gene expression
- genotype
- copy number aberrations
At the hospital, we have generated a comprehensive general biobank of breast cancer samples from patients seen at Ahus (> 3000 samples), in addition to specific biobanks in correlation to clinical trials initiated by our group like the NEOLETEXE-trial and the NEOLETRIB-trial (PI: Jürgen Geisler).
Through translational research, our aim is to identify better strategies to implement improved personalized breast cancer treatment.
Malignant melanomas
Melanoma research projects are performed mainly using prospective clinical biobanks trying to solve relevant issues correlated to basic melanoma biology, like impact of somatic and germline mutations in biology.
An ongoing collaboration with Haukeland University Hospital and The University of Bergen is focusing on genes involved in hereditary malignant melanomas in Norway.
Our findings may help to improve the gene panels used for germline mutational screening in the future.
Findings in the families caused involvement of genetic counselling and intensified dermatological follow-up for others.
Uro-genital cancer
These projects are led by Professor Jan Oldenburg. He is a specialist in oncology, highly specialized in uro-genital subgroups of cancer.
Long-term toxicity after curative treatment of testicular cancer, a field considered a model for late effects research has been Oldenburg’s primary field of expertise.
Furthermore, his research is focused on biomarker identification in prostate cancer through clinical studies, and has started a consortium (the Norwegian Prostate Cancer Consortium, NPCC) where the focus is to identify risk and benefits of PSA screening as well as optimal treatment and follow up of prostate cancer patients.
Cooperation
Our most important collaborators in Norway are the research groups of Professor Vessela Kristensen at Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål, Department of Cancer Genetics and the breast cancer research group established at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen and Professor Per E. Lønning, Professor Stian Knappskog.
In addition, Dr. Xavier Tekpli is a highly valuated collaborator in Oslo, responsible for all single-cell-sequencing projects and spatial transcriptomics projects at Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål.
The research group of Prof. Geisler is also a member of the Breast Cancer Research Network in Norway and a member of the Oslo Breast Cancer Group (OSBREAC) since 2008.
National collaboration
- Professor Vessela N. Kristensen, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo University Hospital,
- Professor Per Eystein Lønning, MD, PhD, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen
- Stian Knappskog, PhD, Haukeland University Hospital & University of Bergen
- Dr. Xavier Tekpli, Ullevål, Oslo University Hospital,
- OSBREAC (OSLO BREAST CANCER COLLABORATION)
International collaboration
- Professor Shiuan Chen, City of Hope National Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Professor Andy Koff, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY, USA
- Charlie Vaske, PhD, Nantomics Inc., Culver City, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Prof. Peter Van Loo, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Charité, Berlin, Germany
- The Watson and Crick Center, London, UK
- Professor Mitch Dowsett and Professor Ian Smith, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
- Professor Jason Carroll, University of Cambridge, UK
- Professor Åke Borg, and Göran Jönsson, University of Lund, Sweden
- Professor Cecilia Södergren, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Professor Hironobu Sasano, Sendai University, Japan