Detail

Research group(s)

• Robert Eferl
  Research Area: 1) We identify cooperative signaling pathways in cancer formation using novel mouse models. 2) We focus on functions of STAT transcription factors in inflammatory liver damage and cancer types that are associated with inflammation (also at: www.jak-stat.at)
  Members:
  Robert Eferl

Research interests

• Basic biomedical science to identify functions of transcription factors in diseases
• Development of transgenic mouse models for cooperative mutations in cancer development
• Investigation of molecular and cellular processes in the tumor microenvironment that influence cancer formation with a focus on tumor-associated macrophages and STAT3
• Cytokine signaling in cholestatic liver fibrosis, hepatocellular carcinomas and formation of colorectal tumors with a focus on transcription factors STAT1 and STAT3

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

• Generation of transgenic, knockout and knockin mice
• Mouse models with conditional deletion of STAT1, STAT3 or CDHR5 in intestinal epithelial cells, hepatocytes, macrophages and fibroblasts
• Mouse tumor models for colorectal cancer, intestinal cancer and liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)
• Preparation of swiss roles and mouse tumor analysis
• Quantitative histomorphometry of IHC (immunohistochemical) stainings and immunofluorescence with Definiens software
• Quantitation of tumor vessel parameters (wall thickness, lumen, vessel numbers, vessel size)
• Characterization of immune cell infiltrates in tumors using immunohistochemistry and FACS

Selected publications

1. Pathria, P. et al., 2015. Myeloid STAT3 promotes formation of colitis-associated colorectal cancer in mice . OncoImmunology, 4(4), p.e998529. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2162402X.2014.998529.
2. Crncec, I. et al., 2015. Induction of Colorectal Cancer in Mice and Histomorphometric Evaluation of Tumors. Mouse Models of Cancer, pp.145-164. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2297-0_7.
3. Musteanu, M. et al., 2012. A mouse model to identify cooperating signaling pathways in cancer. Nat Meth, 9(9), pp.897-900. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.2130.
4. Mair, M. et al., 2010. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Protects From Liver Injury and Fibrosis in a Mouse Model of Sclerosing Cholangitis. Gastroenterology, 138(7), pp.2499-2508. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2010.02.049.
5. Musteanu, M. et al., 2010. Stat3 Is a Negative Regulator of Intestinal Tumor Progression in ApcMin Mice. Gastroenterology, 138(3), pp.1003-1011.e5. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2009.11.049.