Xiaonan Zhang

RESEARCH EXPERIENCES

2020.02 – Present, Researcher/Project leader in Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University. Main research focus: Finding and understanding mutations that cause cancer and pursue novel cancer therapeutic strategies by targeting cancer-specific vulnerabilities in cell-cycle inactive cancer cell populations.

2019.01 – 2020.02, Visiting researcher in Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health, University of Minnesota, USA. Main research focus: Targeting metabolism variations in ovarian carcinoma in metabolically compromised 3D microenvironments.

2015.08 – 2019.01, Post-doctoral fellow at Karolinska Institute, Sweden / Linkoping University, Sweden. Main research focus: Developing efficient strategies for cancer treatments by modulating redox pathways in tumour.

CURRENT FUNDING

2023-2025, Swedish Childhood Cancer Project Fund.
2023-2024, Lena Wäppling's Fund.
2022-2025, Göran Gustafssons Stiftelse's large prize fund on Medicine, Sweden.
2022-2024, Jeanssons Stiftelse Grant, Sweden.
2021-2025, Research position (Forskarassistent) with 4-year research funding, Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund.

PAST FUNDING

Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund.
Robert Lundbergs Fund.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

2011-2015, Ph.D at Department of Oncology-Pathology / Cancer Centre Karolinska, Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
2008-2010, M.Sc in Biomedicine, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

TEACHING PORTFOLIO

Course leader in Master programme of Forensic Medicine, Uppsala University, Sweden

My research focuses on exploring the unique features of quiescent tumor cells that are resistant to conventional anticancer treatments, specifically the mitochondria. By studying these features, I hope to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for clinical treatment

Specific topics I am working with:

1. The mutations in mitochondria affect the quiescent cell populations in solid tumours (CRC and neuroblastoma) during tumorigenesis.

2. Drug screening to identify novel chemicals target MYCN-amplificated neuroblastoma in 3D based tumour model, targets of the novel drug candidate, MYCN independence.

3. Identification and confirmation of novel targets under LOH process in CRC and Neuroblastoma, autophagy reaction under certain mitochondrial inhibition, the vulnerabilities related to autophagy for the treatment of neuroblastoma.

Here is my main Publication list.