Trial lecture
The candidate will first give a trial lecture on the following topic: 'Immuno-oncology in solid tumour ex vivo drug sensitivity testing'
Time and place: Jan. 15, 2026 10:15 AM, Nucleus, Bikuben, Kristine Bonnevies hus
Main research findings
This thesis shows that testing how leukemia (blood cancer) cells respond to medicines outside the body can help doctors choose better treatments for each patient. This approach, called ex vivo drug sensitivity testing, reveals which medicines work on a person’s cancer cells before treatment begins. It can also uncover new drug combinations that may help fight fungal infections, which can be life-threatening for patients with weakened immune systems.
Leukemia is challenging to treat because patients respond very differently to therapy, and many are too weak or ill from infections to tolerate strong chemotherapy. Current methods for choosing treatment mainly rely on genetics, which is useful but often incomplete. We therefore need new tools that give a clearer picture.
By combining drug response data with clinical and genetic information, this work shows that drug sensitivity testing can predict treatment outcomes more accurately than traditional markers, especially in acute myeloid leukemia. It also highlights important differences between patients and reveals new clues that may guide treatment in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The study further identifies promising drug combinations that could help address antifungal resistance.
Overall, the findings support a more precise and personalized approach to treating leukemia and protecting vulnerable patients from severe fungal infections.
Adjudication committee
Group Leader Maria Berdasco, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Barcelona
Prof. Åsmund Flobak, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Prof. Jonas Paulsen, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo
Chair of defense
Prof. Pål Falnes, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo
Supervisors
Prof. Jorrit M. Enserink, Dept. of Biosciences, University of Oslo & Group Leader, Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Dept. of Molecular Cell Biology, Oslo University Hospital
Project Group Leader Sigrid S. Skånland, Dept. of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital