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Genetic and epigenetic variants modulating cancer risk

In addition to variants changing the genetic code within a protein coding region of DNA, cancer risk may be influenced by variations in the non-coding regions of DNA and in regulatory mechanism for gene expression. We are currently focusing on the regulation of the BRCA1 gene, where we have found early embryonic methylation to occur in around 10% of girls and to cause a 2-4 fold increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer later in life.

Previously we have run several large projects focusing on polymorphisms in the promoter of the MDM2 gene, where we have found one particular variant (SNP285) to reduce the risk of breast cancer with 37% and the risk of ovarian cancer with 39% in some subgroups of Caucasian women. 

Key publications:

³¢Ã¸²Ô²Ô¾±²Ô²µ et al. JAMA Oncology, 2022

³¢Ã¸²Ô²Ô¾±²Ô²µ et al. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2018

Knappskog et al. European Journal of Cancer 2012

Knappskog et al. Cancer Cell, 2011

Genetic mechanisms causing resistance to therapy among cancer patients.

Some cancer patients experience poor effects of therapy. Our research focuses on the genetic and molecular mechanisms causing some tumours not to respond to therapy. The aim is to identify genetic alterations that can be used as predictive biomarkers, i.e. markers that can predict what kind of therapy would be most beneficial for each individual patient.

Key publications:

Venizelos et al. Genome Medicine, 2022

Eikesdal et al. Annals of Oncology, 2021

Knappskog et al. Molecular Oncology, 2015

Knappskog et al. Breast Cancer Research, 2012

Intratumor heterogeneity and tumour evolution

Many tumours have proven to be heterogenous and consist of genetically different subclones. Our research assesses the interplay of different sublcones with respect to tumour progression and metastasis as well as response to treatment.

Key publications:

Birkeland et al. Nature Communications, 2018

Yates et al. Cancer Cell, 2017

Yates et al. Nature Medicine, 2015

Webinar on breast cancer research (2025.10.07)

Newspaper report about centre for female health (2025.01.17)

Guest in podcast by The Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board (2024.09.25)

Newspaper story about genetic testing in cancer treatment (2024.03.09)

Newspaper report about a cause of breast cancer (2024.01.16)

Newspaper report about newly discovered cause of breast cancer (2023.12.)

TV reportage about findings in the PETREMAC-trial (2021.04.15)

Newspaper report about new Sequencer (2019.10.02)

Newspaper stories about major publication (2018.01.16)

Newspaper stories about major publication (2017.08.14)

Newspaper story about National Young Scientist award (2016.11.18)

TV case about the novel clinical trial PETREMAC (2016.07.03)

TV case about the novel clinical trial PETREMAC (2016.07.05)

Newspaper story about research funded by the Pink ribbon campaign (2015.10.29)

TV interview about Mohn donation to research (2014.12.23)

Film for the Norwegian Cancer Society’s Pink Ribbon Campaign (2013.09.20)

Newspaper story about the discovery of cancer risk reducing polymorphism (2011.02.15)

Publications registered in PubMed:

Publications registered in CRIStin: