Postdoctoral Fellowship from Cancerfonden awarded to Dr. Karolina Borankova
Dr. Karolina Borankova, a member of Professor Nils-Göran Larsson's group at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Karolinska Institutet, has been awarded the prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowship from Cancerfonden. The project aims to investigate whether mitochondrial DNA mutations that affect mitochondrial function, impact lung cancer growth and tumor burden.
Cancer cells, much like healthy cells, require energy and metabolites for growth. Mitochondria play a crucial role in this process by converting the energy from food into ATP and providing essential building blocks for cell division. These organelles contain mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is vital for their function. While mutations in mtDNA are common in cancer cells, their role in tumor development and growth remains unclear.
Karolina Borankova’s project, “Investigating the impact of pathological mtDNA mutations on lung cancer development and its potential therapeutic implications”aims to investigate whether mtDNA mutations that affect mitochondrial function impact lung cancer growth and tumor burden.
“Utilizing advanced mouse models and single-cell techniques, my research could unveil new mechanisms and biomarkers for disease monitoring and lead to potential new treatments targeting mitochondrial function to inhibit lung cancer growth”, says Karolina Borankova.
Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The urgency to discover new mechanisms of cancer vulnerability and develop innovative therapies is paramount. Karolina Borankova’s research holds promise for significant advancements in this critical area.