Principal Investigator

PhD, Academy Research Fellow

Haartmaninkatu 8 (PO Box 63)
00014 University of Helsinki

Phone: +358 2941 25555
E-mail: liisa.kauppi@helsinki.fi

PhD student

Project: The effect of interplay between DNA mismatch repair proteins and chromatin on local mutation frequency

My research focuses on mutational dynamics shaped by DNA mismatch repair. I am interested in why and where replication errors accumulate, and on the other hand, are repaired in different tissues and cell types.

E-mail: elli.aska@helsinki.fi

PhD Student

Project: Sensitizing DNA repair proficient ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapy

My research focuses on DNA damage repair, especially homologous recombination (HR) repair, in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). In our lab, we have established an immunofluorescence-based assay to detect HR deficiency in HGSOC tumor cells. By utilizing this assay, my aim is to find a way to (re-)sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy by manipulating HR repair pathway.

E-mail: sanna.pikkusaari@helsinki.fi

PhD Student

Project: LINE-1 retrotransposition dynamics in high-grade serous ovarian cancer

LINE-1 are transposable elements that comprise approximately 17% of human DNA. Even though silent in normal cells, LINE-1s are transcriptionally active in different types of cancer, often resulting in de novo insertions and therefore conducting to genomic instability. I am interested to understand the genomic evolution of LINE-1 activity in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

E-mail: fatih.genc@helsinki.fi

Masters student

PhD student

My project seeks to determine the composition of the ovarian cancer microbioma (oncobiome) in tissue samples with low and high DNA damage. The end result is expected to provide a general idea about the impact of the omcobiome on the behaviour of the tumor (resistance, aggressiveness, responsiveness to treatment). 

PhD student

Master's student

Transmed student

The goal of my project is to understand the temporal location of the DNA damage (% in S phase), the differences in the tumour microenvironment (TME) between HR-deficient and HR-proficient tumours and propose avenues for alternative treatment strategies.

srividhya.sundaresan@helsinki.fi

Lab manager

E-mail: minna.eriksson@helsinki.fi

Phone: 0504489442