Hugo Snippert Group

Functional heterogeneity in cancer

Our Focus

Cells within a cancer are highly heterogeneous. As a consequence, it is challenging to design treatment therapies that target all cancer cells as effectively. The Snippert group studies the causes and consequences of cellular heterogeneity during the evolutionary trajectory of cancer, with specific interest at the emergence of malignancy within precancerous lesions and therapy resistance. We mainly use patient-derived cancer organoids to study cellular phenomena that have a large impact on human cancer (treatment), such as therapy resistance. Most importantly, cancer organoid cultures can be established from virtually all cancer types, thereby allowing us to study phenomena across many different tumor subtypes, cancer stages and mutational landscapes that are present within the patient population.

In addition, we apply molecular genetics to engineer the cancer organoids to our own interest, which includes CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homologous recombination to introduce or remove cancer mutations. Alternatively, we generate and introduce genetic knockins to monitor and/or manipulate cell biological processes in real-time, e.g. to understand plasticity of cellular identities and their behavior during malignant transformation or therapy resistance. Together, we integrate different sensors and biomarkers as well as develop and utilize state-of-the-art imaging techniques to monitor and quantify cellular identities and signaling activities in real-time, e.g. to measure single-cell drug responses in patient organoids.

Arne van Hoeck Post Doc
Bas Ponsioen Post Doc
Ingrid Verlaan Technician
Joanna Przewrocka Post Doc
Jasmin Post Phd Student
Joris Hageman OIO
Julian Buissant des Amorie Phd Student
Maarten Huismans Phd Student
Sascha Brunner Data Analyst
Alexander Mertens Technician
Suzanne van der Horst Post Doc
Contact Information
Hugo Snippert Oncode Investigator

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