DrAnke Nijhuis
Advanced Research Fellow
Department of Surgery & Cancer - Faculty of Medicine
Orcid identifier0000-0001-6157-9886 (opens in a new tab)
- Advanced Research FellowDepartment of Surgery & Cancer - Faculty of Medicine
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Campus, United Kingdom
RESEARCH
Anke's research group aims to dissect the functional consequences of RNA splicing inhibitors and uncover tumour-specific dependencies on RNA splicing factors, predominantly in ovarian cancer and neuroblastoma. My research program entails various projects:
1. Targeting DNA damage repair through RNA splicing interference.
Project aims to develop new therapeutic approaches to target DNA damage repair pathways via RNA splicing interference. To evaluate the efficacy of RNA splicing inhibitors and combination with chemotherapy & PARP inhibitors we use multiple pre-clinical models including patient-derived organoids and mouse models of ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma. We employ various multi-omic analyses including longread RNA-sequencing to understand RNA splicing profiles in relapsed ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma. We also use drug-drug library and CRISPR-Cas9 screening to identify new determinants of PARPi resistance in multiple cancer types. (Collaborators: Francis Crick Institute, Institute for Cancer Research, Max Planck Institute, MRC LMS, Imperial College London)
2. Identification of RNA splicing-derived neoantigens and development of novel adoptive cell therapy.
In this project we aim to identify and characterize the production of neoantigen production and presentation following RNA splicing interference. Using longread RNA sequencing and immunopeptidome analysis and validation in patient-derived cell cultures and models. (Collaborators: Institute for Cancer Research, Imperial College London).
3. Identification of vulnerabilities of RNA splicing in MYN driven neuroblastoma.
Dissecting the dependency of RNA splicing factors and characterize the downstream consequences on transcription and replication stress (Collaborator: Institute for Cancer Research).
4. Generation of novel dual-targeting molecules as new therapeutic modalities in cancer.
Convergence Science Centre project to generate new dual-targeting agents to achieve synergistic inhibition as a cancer therapy (Collaborations: Chemistry Imperial College London,, Institute for Cancer Research, Astrazeneca).
1. Targeting DNA damage repair through RNA splicing interference.
Project aims to develop new therapeutic approaches to target DNA damage repair pathways via RNA splicing interference. To evaluate the efficacy of RNA splicing inhibitors and combination with chemotherapy & PARP inhibitors we use multiple pre-clinical models including patient-derived organoids and mouse models of ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma. We employ various multi-omic analyses including longread RNA-sequencing to understand RNA splicing profiles in relapsed ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma. We also use drug-drug library and CRISPR-Cas9 screening to identify new determinants of PARPi resistance in multiple cancer types. (Collaborators: Francis Crick Institute, Institute for Cancer Research, Max Planck Institute, MRC LMS, Imperial College London)
2. Identification of RNA splicing-derived neoantigens and development of novel adoptive cell therapy.
In this project we aim to identify and characterize the production of neoantigen production and presentation following RNA splicing interference. Using longread RNA sequencing and immunopeptidome analysis and validation in patient-derived cell cultures and models. (Collaborators: Institute for Cancer Research, Imperial College London).
3. Identification of vulnerabilities of RNA splicing in MYN driven neuroblastoma.
Dissecting the dependency of RNA splicing factors and characterize the downstream consequences on transcription and replication stress (Collaborator: Institute for Cancer Research).
4. Generation of novel dual-targeting molecules as new therapeutic modalities in cancer.
Convergence Science Centre project to generate new dual-targeting agents to achieve synergistic inhibition as a cancer therapy (Collaborations: Chemistry Imperial College London,, Institute for Cancer Research, Astrazeneca).