Research team El-Heliebi

Research focus: Precision Medicine

PI: Amin El-Heliebi

Focus: Most cases of cancer related deaths are caused by metastatic disease. Metastasis arise by dissemination of circulating tumor cells (CTC). Our research focus is to investigate liquid biopsies, such as CTCs or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Our overall aim is to “Track the Trace” of liquid biopsies back to the originating tumor mass and identify the mechanisms involved in spreading of metastatic disease.

Network: National collaborations: Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Austria, Diagnostic and Research Institute of Human Genetics, Medical University of Graz, Austria, Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria. International collaborations: Mats Nilsson Lab - Stockholm University – Karolinska Institute Science Park – SciLifeLab - Sweden, Leon Terstappen Lab – University Twente – Holland. Industry collaborations: CBmed, GILUPI, CytoGen, QIAGEN, ViennaLab Diagnostics, Labor Renner.

Projects

Liquid Biopsy in Cancer

In recent years liquid biopsies, such as analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), became very promising tools for precision oncology. Although vast amounts of scientific literature are available on liquid biopsies, controversy remains about their clinical utility. A major hurdle for their widespread clinical implementation are the lack of standardisation and technical issues. To overcome these issues of low standardisations in liquid biopsies we aim to implement CEN- and ISO- compatible workflows for liquid biopsies for patients with malignant disease.
Duration: 2019-2022
Funded by: K1 COMET Competence Center CBmed (Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine), which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT), Land Steiermark (Department 12, Business and Innovation), the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW), the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG), and the Vienna Business Agency. The COMET program is executed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)
Project partners: Medical University Graz, CBmed, CytoGen, QIAGEN, ViennaLab Diagnostics, Labor Renner

Multi-parameter Core Technologies: Immunology, Digital Pathology and Metabolomics

The project aims to develop new technologies to investigate liquid biopsies and to assess the quality of samples using metabolomics profiling. Liquid biopsies, such as circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA, became very promising tools for precision oncology. A major hurdle for their widespread clinical implementation are sample quality issues, especially when it comes to stabilisation of fragile and low abundant CTCs or metabolites. Therefore, we aim to develop novel approaches to measure sample quality and develop novel in situ mRNA based assays to investigate liquid biopsies.
Duration: 2019-2022
Funded by: K1 COMET Competence Center CBmed (Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine), which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT), Land Steiermark (Department 12, Business and Innovation), the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW), the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG), and the Vienna Business Agency. The COMET program is executed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)
Project partners: Medical University Graz, CBmed, GILUPI

Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology

Univ.-Ass. Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing.
Amin El-Heliebi, PhD

T: +43 316 385 71903

E: amin.elheliebi@medunigraz.at

Research profile

Team

Members

Das Team der Arbeitsgruppe mit Teamleiter Amin El-Heliebi.