Detail

Keywords

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Glucocorticoids; Immunity, Cellular; Immunosuppression; Receptors, Glucocorticoid

Research group(s)

• Emilio Casanova
  Members:
  Emilio Casanova
  Sarah Trouvilliez
  Maša Bereš
• Herwig Moll
  Head: Herwig P. Moll
  Research Area: Experimental models to study lung tumorigenesis
  Members:
  Herwig P. Moll
  Maša Bereš

Research interests

I am deeply interested in cancer biology, with a particular focus on lung cancer, tumor immunology, and the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor–immune interactions. My goal is to understand how cancer cells communicate with and shape their microenvironment, and how this crosstalk influences disease progression and therapy response.

Currently, my research explores how stress hormone signaling through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) impacts tumor progression and immune regulation in lung adenocarcinoma. Here, we uncovered that loss of GR in tumor cells promotes tumor growth and remodels the tumor microenvironment toward an immunosuppressive state. Through this work, we aim to identify key molecular pathways that could be targeted to restore anti-tumor immunity and improve therapeutic strategies.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

My research combines molecular and cellular approaches with advanced in vivo models to investigate tumor–immune interactions in lung cancer. I integrate in vitro experiments using genetically engineered cell lines with in vivo studies in genetically modified mouse models that closely recapitulate human lung adenocarcinoma. This enables mechanistic insights into tumor–immune crosstalk under physiologically relevant conditions. In parallel, I apply transcriptomic analyses, including single-cell RNA sequencing, to dissect cellular composition and signaling pathways within the tumor microenvironment. Together, these complementary approaches provide a powerful framework to connect molecular mechanisms with functional outcomes in cancer biology.