Forscherdatenbank
Prof. Dr. Martin Werner
Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
79106 Freiburg
Programme
Molecular Diagnostics, Early Detection, and Biomarker Development (MDEB)
Molecularly Targeted Therapy (MTT)
Übersicht
Molecular Tumorpathology
Our research group is interested in “molecular tumorpathology”, focussing on the biology of solid tumours by translational approaches. Our aim is to decipher basic molecular mechanisms of tumour development and progression, in particular with respect to (epi-)genetic instability and signalling pathways. We envisage using this basic molecular knowledge to evaluate novel applications of molecular pathology in a clinically-relevant setting, specifically addressing the issue of therapy prediction. In this context, we continuously work on new development or the “fine-tuning” of “state of the art” techniques for application to human tissue specimens. Close collaboration with other pathology- and clinic-based research groups as well as with research groups in the field of material and natural sciences and biostatistics greatly support our research goals. Our scientific research is embedded within the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK Program “Molecular Diagnostics”, “Molecular Targeted Therapies”) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB850, SFB992).
DKTK Junior Group Leader for Cancer Systems Biology
Single-cell approaches have not only revealed a wide variety of cell states, characterized by cells exhibiting striking differences in their transcriptional profile, but have also illuminated the mechanisms underlying state transitions in health and disease. Cellular plasticity and adaptive state changes have recently emerged as a basis for therapeutic resistance in cancer, and a better understanding of how cell state transitions are regulated is critical to develop therapeutic approaches that can overcome therapy resistance.
Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms driving non-genetic cellular heterogeneity and therapy resistance in malignancy. Using novel single-cell sequencing approaches, we seek to develop new experimental and computational strategies to define altered cell states in both, cancer and immune cells. Our aim is to leverage a data driven strategy combined with single cell genomics and systems biology to address the challenges posed by heterogeneity in cancer, and to develop new strategies to overcome it, with the aim of translating laboratory-based findings into the clinic.