The research activity focuses on three main projects:

-Predictive markers of anti-angiogenic treatment in malignant melanoma

Malignant melanoma is dependent on angiogenesis to progress and metastasize(1). We have previously published the results of a clinical phase II study of the anti-VEGF antibody  bevacizumab in patients with metastatic melanoma(2) and found that ~30 % of the patients experienced clinical benefit of the treatment. The main objective of the project is to identify predictive markers of response to bevacizumab. We are currently launching a larger national randomized clinical phase II trial to validate the findings in the first trial. PhD project.

- Predictive markers of anti-angiogenic treatment in renal cell carcinoma

The VEGF receptor inhibitor Sunitinib is first line treatment in metastatic or non-resectable clear cell carcinoma of the kidney. About 50 % of the patients are expected to respond. In a patient series of 50 patients with metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma we will identify, evaluate and validate a set of candidate biomarkers for their predictive value. Blood samples, tissue samples and clinical data are under investigation. PhD project.

- Role of HSP27 in cellular stress, wound healing and tissue trauma

The small heat shock protein (HSP27) is involved in human tumor dormancy and the “angiogenic switch”(3). HSP27 is also a promising predictive marker for anti-angiogenic treatment (Schuster et al, in prep). The research group will investigate how tissue trauma and wound healing can initiate tumor growth and synchronize growth of occult micrometastases. The role of cellular stress response mechanisms following tissue trauma with focus on HSP27, will be evaluated.