Maria Dravecka
Job description
PhD research fellow in Targeting Tissue Acidosis in Solid Tumors project.
Research interests
Solid tumors create a distinctive acidic microenvironment due to their rapid growth and altered metabolic processes. This acidosis is a critical component of tumor biology with a pH range between 6,5 - 6,9, influencing cancer progression and therapy response. This PhD study is dedicated to unraveling the complexities of tissue acidosis and its specific implications on epithelial cancer cells.
Key Research Objectives:
1. Acidosis Characterization: Investigate and characterize the effects of acidic microenvironment in solid tumors, on a panel of epithelial cancer cells.
2. Cellular Responses: Delve into the molecular and functional responses of epithelial cancer cells to tissue acidosis. This will involve studying changes in gene expression, protein function, and alterations in cellular behavior under acidosis conditions.
3. Tumor Progression: Examine the role of tissue acidosis in various facets of tumor progression, including cell proliferation, invasion, and resistance to therapies. Understand how acidosis contributes to the aggressiveness of epithelial cancers.
4. Therapeutic Insights: Explore potential strategies for exploitning the acidic tumor microenvironment, with the aim of enhancing cancer treatment outcomes.
Teaching
Teaching assistant in pharmacology course FAR-2206 and FAR-2207
