Janiszewska Lab

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Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the deadliest primary brain cancer, with a 5-years survival rate of only 6.8%. This dismal outlook persists, despite decades of research and extensive clinical trials, because GBM tumors harbor extreme intratumor heterogeneitythat undermines both targeted and immunotherapeutic strategies.

Single-cell transcriptomic profiling of patient specimens revealed that each GBM tumor contains multiple co-existing subpopulations of cells with distinct phenotypes, ranging from neuronal to glial progenitor-like, whose collective function fuels the disease. Yet, how these heterogenous subpopulations interact with each other and drive the aggressive behavior of the tumor remains largely unknown.

The histological hallmarks of GBM, necroses and microvascular proliferation, can appear in close proximity within a single tumor biopsy. These features constitute markedly distinct microenvironments with regards to oxygen and nutrients availability, thereby exerting different selective pressures on GBM cells. Nonetheless, the interactions between GBM subpopulations and their tumor microenvironment remain poorly understood. Our research aims to elucidate these interdependencies and leverage this knowledge to disrupt the GBM cancer ecosystem.

Postdocs

Are you interested in a career in genetics, cancer immunology, epigenetics and tumor evolution? Please reach out! Send your CV and a brief description of your interests to Dr. Janiszewska at [email protected].

Graduate Students

If you are an incoming CU Anschutz graduate school student interested in pursuing a PhD in our lab, we will be happy to host you for a rotation. Inquire about projects by directly emailing Dr. Janiszewska at [email protected].

Other Lab Positions

While we don't have other openings at this point, please enquire about future opportunities.