AG Bleckmann – Tumorprogression und Metastasierung
The research group investigates the mechanisms of tumor progression, especially the single steps of the metastasis cascade in solid tumors. In this context we are focusing in particular on the non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway and try to characterize its role in tumor progression and to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms. Moreover, we are analyzing the interaction of tumor cells with the surrounding benign cells of the tumor stroma, especially tumor-associated macrophages, in regard to tumor invasion. Our lab is particularly interested in the intercellular communication via extracellular vesicles.
In our research we work on one specific population of extracellular vesicles, the so-called microvesicles (diameter 100–1000 nm) which are constantly released from the cellular plasma membrane. One the one hand, we try to elucidate the functional effects of tumor-derived microvesicles on neighboring stroma cells, on the other hand, we are working on the identification of markers that will allow the detection and functional analysis of tumor microvesicles in cancer patients’ blood.
In order to better understand the mechanisms of tumor invasion, we analyze metastases samples of different solid tumors as well as cell lines and extracellular vesicles via high-throughput methods on the RNA, protein and metabolism level (RNA sequencing, Proteomics, Metabolomics). Based on the results we can then define signatures that will be correlated with clinical parameters in a translational approach and in the end can provide information about the prognosis of cancer patients.
Our research
One main focus of our research is the role of extracellular vesicles in lung cancer. As lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, our aim is to improve patients' survival by monitoring their course of disease in order to detect relapse or progression prior to imaging. Our lab has already established a tumor-defining antigen pattern on extracellular vesicles that can help identify tumor-derived vesicles in the blood of lung cancer patients and subsequently be used as a biomarker to monitor disease. We have special interest in the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in lung cancer and identifying groups of patients that benefit or do not benefit from immunotherapy.
Since 2022 our team is part of the BMBF-funded consortium Permiccion which aims to understand the role of the tumor microbiome for the development of colorectal cancer in young patients. More information can be found here.
Kontakt
Kerstin Menck
Junior Arbeitsgruppenleiterin
Laborleiterin
Spenden für unsere Forschung
Wenn Sie unsere Forschung finanziell unterstützen möchten, freuen wir uns darüber sehr:
Universitätsklinikum Münster
Deutsche Bank AG
IBAN: DE42 4007 0080 0013 8842 00
BIC: DEUTDE3B400
Verwendungszweck: ZUW80276 (Krebs-Forschung)
Unser Team
Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Annalen Bleckmann
Bereichsleiterin Internistische Onkologie, Direktorin Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum (WTZ) Münster
Fachärztin für Innere Medizin, Hämatologie und Internistische Onkologie
Sprechstunde für Thorakale Onkologie
+49 251 83 52712
+49 251 83 52849
Do 8.30–14.00 Uhr
Kerstin Menck
Junior Arbeitsgruppenleiterin
Laborleiterin
Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Georg Evers
Oberarzt
Facharzt für Innere Medizin und Hämatologie und Onkologie
Facharzt für Innere Medizin und Pneumologie
Dr. med. Carolin Krekeler
Assistenzärztin
Barnabas Irmer
Wissenschaftlicher Doktorand
Molekularbiologe
Katharina Maria Richter
Wissenschaftliche Doktorandin
Molekularbiologin
Suganja Chandrabalan
Wissenschaftliche Doktorandin
Molekularbiologin
Allegra Angenendt, B.Sc.
Masterstudentin
Studentische Hilfskraft
Dipl.- Betriebsw. Claudia Bieber-Tuschen
Wissenschaftliche Koordinatorin
Assistentin der Bereichsleitung Internistische Onkologie
Dr. med. Marcel Kemper
Facharzt für Innere Medizin und Hämatologie und Onkologie
Laura Sophie Altschulze
Medizinische Doktorandin
- High-Throughput Profiling of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases Reveals Intra- and Inter-Patient Heterogeneity in the EGFR and WNT Pathways Associated with Clinical Outcome. (Menck K, Wlochowitz D, Wachter A, Conradi LC, Wolff A, Scheel AH, Korf U, Wiemann S, Schildhaus HU, Bohnenberger H, Wingender E, Pukrop T, Homayounfar K, Beißbarth T, Bleckmann A)
- WNT11/ROR2 signaling is associated with tumor invasion and poor survival in breast cancer. (Menck K, Heinrichs S, Wlochowitz D, Sitte M, Noeding H, Janshoff A, Treiber H, Ruhwedel T, Schatlo B, von der Brelie C, Wiemann S, Pukrop T, Beißbarth T, Binder C, Bleckmann A)
- Polyclonal on- and off-target resistance mutations in an EML4-ALK positive non-small cell lung cancer patient under ALK inhibition. (Kemper M, Evers G, Schulze AB, Sperveslage J, Schülke C, Lenz G, Herold T, Hartmann W, Schildhaus HU, Bleckmann A)
- The WNT/ROR Pathway in Cancer: From Signaling to Therapeutic Intervention. (Menck K, Heinrichs S, Baden C, Bleckmann A)
- Microvesicles in Cancer: Small, Large, Potential. (Menck K, Sivaloganathan S, Bleckmann A, Binder C)
- FGFR3 mRNA overexpression defines a subset of oligometastatic colorectal cancers with worse prognosis. (Fromme JE, Schmitz K, Wachter A, Grzelinski M, Zielinski D, Koppel C, Conradi LC, Homayounfar K, Hugo T, Hugo S, Lukat L, Rüschoff J, Ströbel P, Ghadimi M, Beißbarth T, Reuter-Jessen K, Schildhaus HU, Bleckmann A)
- Neutral sphingomyelinases control extracellular vesicles budding from the plasma membrane. (Menck K, Sönmezer C, Worst TS, Schulz M, Dihazi GH, Streit F, Erdmann G, Kling S, Boutros M, Binder C, Gross JC)
- Characterisation of tumour-derived microvesicles in cancer patients' blood and correlation with clinical outcome. (Menck K, Bleckmann A, Wachter A, Hennies B, Ries L, Schulz M, Balkenhol M, Pukrop T, Schatlo B, Rost U, Wenzel D, Klemm F, Binder C)
- Ror2 Signaling and Its Relevance in Breast Cancer Progression. (Bayerlová M, Menck K, Klemm F, Wolff A, Pukrop T, Binder C, Beißbarth T, Bleckmann A)
- β-catenin-independent WNT signaling and Ki67 in contrast to the estrogen receptor status are prognostic and associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer liver metastases.(Bleckmann A, Conradi LC, Menck K, Schmick NA, Schubert A, Rietkötter E, Arackal J, Middel P, Schambony A, Liersch T, Homayounfar K, Beißbarth T, Klemm F, Binder C, Pukrop T)
- High-Throughput Profiling of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases Reveals Intra- and Inter-Patient Heterogeneity in the EGFR and WNT Pathways Associated with Clinical Outcome. (Menck K, Wlochowitz D, Wachter A, Conradi LC, Wolff A, Scheel AH, Korf U, Wiemann S, Schildhaus HU, Bohnenberger H, Wingender E, Pukrop T, Homayounfar K, Beißbarth T, Bleckmann A)
- WNT11/ROR2 signaling is associated with tumor invasion and poor survival in breast cancer. (Menck K, Heinrichs S, Wlochowitz D, Sitte M, Noeding H, Janshoff A, Treiber H, Ruhwedel T, Schatlo B, von der Brelie C, Wiemann S, Pukrop T, Beißbarth T, Binder C, Bleckmann A)
- Polyclonal on- and off-target resistance mutations in an EML4-ALK positive non-small cell lung cancer patient under ALK inhibition. (Kemper M, Evers G, Schulze AB, Sperveslage J, Schülke C, Lenz G, Herold T, Hartmann W, Schildhaus HU, Bleckmann A)
- The WNT/ROR Pathway in Cancer: From Signaling to Therapeutic Intervention. (Menck K, Heinrichs S, Baden C, Bleckmann A)
- Microvesicles in Cancer: Small, Large, Potential. (Menck K, Sivaloganathan S, Bleckmann A, Binder C)
- FGFR3 mRNA overexpression defines a subset of oligometastatic colorectal cancers with worse prognosis. (Fromme JE, Schmitz K, Wachter A, Grzelinski M, Zielinski D, Koppel C, Conradi LC, Homayounfar K, Hugo T, Hugo S, Lukat L, Rüschoff J, Ströbel P, Ghadimi M, Beißbarth T, Reuter-Jessen K, Schildhaus HU, Bleckmann A)
- Neutral sphingomyelinases control extracellular vesicles budding from the plasma membrane. (Menck K, Sönmezer C, Worst TS, Schulz M, Dihazi GH, Streit F, Erdmann G, Kling S, Boutros M, Binder C, Gross JC)
- Characterisation of tumour-derived microvesicles in cancer patients' blood and correlation with clinical outcome. (Menck K, Bleckmann A, Wachter A, Hennies B, Ries L, Schulz M, Balkenhol M, Pukrop T, Schatlo B, Rost U, Wenzel D, Klemm F, Binder C)
- Ror2 Signaling and Its Relevance in Breast Cancer Progression. (Bayerlová M, Menck K, Klemm F, Wolff A, Pukrop T, Binder C, Beißbarth T, Bleckmann A)
- β-catenin-independent WNT signaling and Ki67 in contrast to the estrogen receptor status are prognostic and associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer liver metastases. (Bleckmann A, Conradi LC, Menck K, Schmick NA, Schubert A, Rietkötter E, Arackal J, Middel P, Schambony A, Liersch T, Homayounfar K, Beißbarth T, Klemm F, Binder C, Pukrop T)
Medizinische Klinik A (Hämatologie, Hämostaseologie, Onkologie und Pneumologie)
Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1
Gebäude A1
48149 Münster