Dr Mara Zeissig

Mara Zeissig's research lab is focused on improving response to T-cell based immunotherapies in solid cancers, with a focus on lung and pancreatic cancers. We use a range of approaches, including genetically engineered mouse models and sophisticated CRISPR-Cas9 genetic screening techniques to understand how tumours evade the immune system and identify immune modulators to increase the efficacy of immunotherapy in solid tumours.

We have open Summer scholarship, Honours and PhD projects available!

Project Title:                  Boosting response to immunotherapy in lung and pancreatic cancers

Project Supervisor(s):     Dr Mara Zeissig, Dr Tamsin Lannagan

Suitable for:                   Honours, MPhil, PhD

Location of project:        Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences Building, North Terrace, Adelaide

Project outline

Lung and pancreatic cancers are two of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and have very poor survival outcomes.  They are characterised by immune-cold tumours, with poor infiltration of cytotoxic T cells and a lack of response to immunotherapy.  

This project will use unbiased, whole-genome CRISPR-Cas9 genetic screening in combination with T cell co-culture to identify new targets that could enhance the response of these tumours to immunotherapy. New drug targets identified in the screens will be characterised in vitro and in vivo to assess the effects on tumour growth, immune infiltration and response to immunotherapy. Potential new drug combination therapies will also be tested in models of lung and pancreatic cancers. 

The student will learn a range of techniques, including in vivo modelling, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, cell culture, flow cytometry, next-generation sequencing, immunohistochemistry and qPCR. 

Figure. New drug targets to increase response to immunotherapy will be identified by co-culturing lung or pancreatic cancer cell lines (expressing Cas9 and harbouring sgRNAs that target the whole genome) with tumour-killing T cells and conducting an unbiased whole-genome CRISPR-Cas9 screen. 

Project Title:                  KRAS inhibitors for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Project Supervisor(s):     Dr Mara Zeissig, Dr Tamsin Lannagan

Suitable for:                   Honours, MPhil, PhD

Location of project:        Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences Building, North Terrace, Adelaide

Project outline

Pancreatic cancer is the 4^th biggest cancer killer in Australia. Almost all (95%) pancreatic cancers are driven by mutations in the oncogene KRAS. In the past few years there has been the introduction of a new class of drugs that target KRAS. In clinical trials, KRAS inhibitors are only effective in a small number of patients but present a new therapeutic option that is targeted and has fewer side effects. 

This project will be focused on identifying resistance mechanisms and improving the efficacy of KRAS inhibitors for the treatment of pancreatic cancers. It will use an in vivo CRISPR-Cas9 screen to identify pancreatic cancers resistant or sensitive to KRAS inhibitors, and to study the influence of tumour heterogeneity on KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer tumour biology and response to therapies. The student will learn a variety of techniques, including in vivo modelling, CRISPR/Cas9 genetic editing, cell culture, in vitro drug assays, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.