Characterizing synthetic lethal targets for genome-informed precision cancer medicine

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in women. Identification of novel, actionable and effective strategies to treat the disease could significantly contribute to the improvement of patient survival. Genomic aberrations in cancer may represent synthetic lethal targets because cancer cells harboring particular aberrations are contextually more vulnerable to therapeutics than normal cells.

This PhD project will focus on characterizing genomic mutations that cause synthetic lethality by enhancing the responses of ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapy. The project involves genetic screens, function and pathway analyses as well as anti-cancer drug assays. This research will reveal critical mechanisms determining chemotherapy responses in ovarian cancer, with potential to have a major translational impact on patient survival.

This is an exciting opportunity to identify new approach to treat cancer. We are looking for candidates who are highly motivated, fluent in English with wet lab experience in biological or biomedical science. Students will become proficient in cell culture, tumor biology, a wide range of cellular and molecular techniques, and omics analyses.
Supervisor
Dr. Lydia Cheung has a major interest in genomic characterization and the associated signaling of cancer, through which we will understand the biology of treatment response and drug resistance. We have identified a number of genomic alterations that may inform therapeutic responses.
Further details about our work are available at
https://www.sbms.hku.hk/staff/lydia-wai-ting-cheung
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=qaacaoEAAAAJ

Faculty information, funding opportunities and application deadlines: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/program/biomedical-research-hku-li-ka-shing-faculty-of-medicine/?i586p4119