Dr Katherine Morel
Postdoctoral Researcher - SAiGENCI
SAIGENCI
College of Health
Dr. Katherine Morel is a Research Fellow in the South Australian Immunogenomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI) at the University of Adelaide. in 2017, Dr. Morel was awarded her PhD from Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. Her doctoral research was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Pamela Sykes and focused on investigating the use of the anti-inflammatory compound parthenolide in the treatment and prevention of prostate cancer. Following the completion of her PhD studies, Dr. Morel continued her training as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. At DFCI, Dr. Morel's research interests focused on genetic drivers of aggressive prostate cancer and identifying and utilising novel therapeutic approaches to target these genetic perturbations. This research utilised unique GEM and 3D organoid models of prostate cancer together with the latest techniques in genomics and proteomics. In 2022, Dr. Morel returned to Adelaide to continue her research into prostate cancer at the University of Adelaide.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 - 2021 | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 - 2017 | Flinders University | Australia | PhD |
| 2011 - 2011 | Flinders University | Australia | BSc (Hons) |
| 2007 - 2010 | Flinders University | Australia | BMSc |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | German, B., Morel, K. L., Noel, T., Boufaied, N., Burkhart, D. L., Chen, S., . . . Ellis, L. (2025). EZH2-TTP-mTORC1 Axis Drives Phenotypic Plasticity and Therapeutic Vulnerability in Lethal Prostate Cancer.. bioRxiv. |
| 2025 | German, B., Morel, K. L., Noel, T., Boufaied, N., Burkhart, D. L., Chen, S., . . . Ellis, L. (2025). EZH2-TTP-mTORC1 Axis Drives Phenotypic Plasticity and Therapeutic Vulnerability in Lethal Prostate Cancer.. Res Sq. |
| 2024 | German, B., Singh, J. N., Fonseca, M. A., Burkhart, D. L., Sheahan, A., Bergom, H., . . . Ellis, L. (2024). MYBL2 drives prostate cancer plasticity and identifies CDK2 as a therapeutic vulnerability in RB1-loss and neuroendocrine prostate cancer.. bioRxiv. |
| 2024 | German, B., Alaiwi, S. A., Ho, K. -L., Nanda, J. S., S Fonseca, M. A., Burkhart, D. L., . . . Ellis, L. (2024). MYBL2 Drives Prostate Cancer Plasticity: Inhibiting its Transcriptional Target CDK2 for RB1-Deficient Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer.. Cancer Res Commun, 4(9), 2295-2307. Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC8 |
| 2024 | Morel, K. L., Germán, B., Hamid, A. A., Nanda, J. S., Linder, S., Bergman, A. M., . . . Ellis, L. (2024). Low tristetraprolin expression activates phenotypic plasticity and primes transition to lethal prostate cancer in mice.. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 135(2), e175680-1-e175680-18. Scopus4 WoS5 Europe PMC5 |
| 2021 | Morel, K. L., Sheahan, A. V., Burkhart, D. L., Baca, S. C., Boufaied, N., Liu, Y., . . . Ellis, L. (2021). EZH2 inhibition activates a dsRNA–STING–interferon stress axis that potentiates response to PD-1 checkpoint blockade in prostate cancer. Nature Cancer, 2(4), 444-456. Scopus195 WoS188 Europe PMC181 |
| 2021 | Morel, K. L., Hamid, A. A., Clohessy, J. G., Pandell, N., Ellis, L., & Sweeney, C. J. (2021). NF-κB blockade with oral administration of dimethylaminoparthenolide, delays prostate cancer resistance to androgen receptor inhibition and inhibits AR variants. Mol Cancer Res, 19(7), 1137-1145. Scopus17 WoS19 Europe PMC19 |
| 2020 | Burkhart, D. L., Morel, K. L., Wadosky, K. M., Labbe, D. P., Galbo, P. M., Dalimov, Z., . . . Ellis, L. (2020). Evidence that EZH2 deregulation is an actionable therapeutic target for prevention of prostate cancer. Cancer Prevention Research, 13(12), 979-988. Scopus3 WoS4 Europe PMC4 |
| 2020 | VanDeusen, H. R., Ramroop, J. R., Morel, K. L., Bae, S. Y., Sheahan, A. V., Sychev, Z., . . . Drake, J. M. (2020). Targeting RET kinase in neuroendocrine prostate cancer. Molecular Cancer Research, 18(8), 1176-1188. Scopus37 WoS37 Europe PMC41 |
| 2019 | Tran, L. N. K., Kichenadasse, G., Morel, K. L., Lavranos, T. C., Klebe, S., Lower, K. M., . . . Sykes, P. J. (2019). The combination of metformin and valproic acid has a greater anti-tumoral effect on prostate cancer growth in vivo than either drug alone. In Vivo, 33(1), 99-108. Scopus14 WoS13 Europe PMC11 |
| 2019 | Morel, K. L., Ormsby, R. J., Klebe, S., Sweeney, C. J., & Sykes, P. J. (2019). DMAPT is an Effective Radioprotector from Long-Term Radiation-Induced Damage to Normal Mouse Tissues In Vivo. Radiation research, 192(2), 231-239. Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC8 |
| 2018 | Morel, K. L., Ormsby, R. J., Solly, E. L., Tran, L. N. K., Sweeney, C. J., Klebe, S., . . . Sykes, P. J. (2018). Chronic low dose ethanol induces an aggressive metastatic phenotype in TRAMP mice, which is counteracted by parthenolide. Clinical and Experimental Metastasis, 35(7), 649-661. Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC5 |
| 2017 | Morel, K. L., Ormsby, R. J., Bezak, E., Sweeney, C. J., & Sykes, P. J. (2017). Parthenolide Selectively Sensitizes Prostate Tumor Tissue to Radiotherapy while Protecting Healthy Tissues in Vivo. Radiation Research, 187(5), 501-512. Scopus35 WoS33 Europe PMC31 |
| 2017 | Tran, L. N., Kichenadasse, G., Butler, L. M., Centenera, M. M., Morel, K. L., Ormsby, R. J., . . . Sykes, P. J. (2017). The combination of metformin and valproic acid induces synergistic apoptosis in the presence of p53 and androgen signaling in prostate cancer. Molecular cancer therapeutics, 16(12), 2689-2700. Scopus28 WoS27 Europe PMC19 |
| 2014 | Newman, M., Sykes, P., Blyth, B., Bezak, E., Lawrence, M., Morel, K., & Ormsby, R. (2014). A single whole-body low dose X-irradiation does not affect L1, B1 and IAP repeat element DNA methylation longitudinally. PLoS One, 9(3), e93016-1-e93016-10. Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC12 |
| 2014 | Newman, M., Sykes, P., Blyth, B., Bezak, E., Lawrence, M., Morel, K., & Ormsby, R. (2014). The methylation of DNA repeat elements is sex-dependent and temporally different in response to X radiation in radiosensitive and radioresistant mouse strains. Radiation Research, 181(1), 65-75. Scopus23 WoS21 Europe PMC21 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Burkhart, D. L., Morel, K. L., Sheahan, A. V., Richards, Z. A., & Ellis, L. (2019). The Role of RB in Prostate Cancer Progression. In S. M. Dehm, & D. J. Tindall (Eds.), Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology (Vol. 1210, pp. 301-318). SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG. DOI Scopus19 WoS18 Europe PMC16 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Hamid, A., Werner, L., Huang, Y., Vicier, C., Morel, K., Ellis, L., & Sweeney, C. (2019). Prognostic impact of tristetraprolin (TTP) and PTEN loss and assessment of associated immune infiltrates in localized prostate cancer (PrCa).. In JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Vol. 37 (pp. 2 pages). Chicago, IL: AMER SOC CLINICAL ONCOLOGY. DOI |
| 2017 | Tran, L. N. K., Kichenadasse, G., Ormsby, R. J., Morel, K. L., Butler, L. M., Centenera, M. M., & Sykes, P. J. (2017). COMBINATION OF METFORMIN AND SODIUM VALPROATE FOR PROSTATE CANCER: A RAPID APPROACH FROM BENCH TO CLINICAL TRIAL.. In JOURNAL OF UROLOGY Vol. 197 (pp. E1108-E1109). Boston, MA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. DOI |
| 2017 | Morel, K. L., Sykes, P. J., Gokhale, P. C., Lee, G. -S. M., Tiv, H., & Sweeney, C. J. (2017). Dimethylaminoparthenolide (DMAPT), an oral nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor (NFκB), enhances radiation therapy and enhances epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) activity. In CANCER RESEARCH Vol. 77 (pp. 2 pages). DC, Washington: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. DOI |
| 2016 | Tran, L. N. K., Kichenadasse, G., Morel, K. L., Ormsby, R. J., Butler, L. M., Centenera, M. M., & Sykes, P. J. (2016). Combination of metformin and valproic acid in personalized prostate cancer treatment: the role of p53 and androgen receptor signaling. In CANCER RESEARCH Vol. 76 (pp. 4 pages). New Orleans, LA: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. |
| 2013 | Morel, K., Ormsby, R., Bezak, E., Tilley, W., Lawrence, M., & Sykes, P. (2013). Parthenolide as a selective radiosensitiser in the treatment and prevention of prostate cancer. In BJU International Vol. 112 (pp. 45). Melbourne: Wiley. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Sweeney, C. J., Morel, K., Hamid, A., & Ellis, L. (2022). Combined loss of tristetraprolin (TTP) and PTEN leads to aggressive prostate cancer and hypersensitivity to nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) inhibition.. Poster session presented at the meeting of CANCER RESEARCH. LA, New Orleans: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. |
| 2022 | Sweeney, C. J., Morel, K., Hamid, A., & Ellis, L. (2022). Combined loss of tristetraprolin (TTP) and PTEN leads to aggressive prostate cancer and hypersensitivity to nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) inhibition. Poster session presented at the meeting of CANCER RESEARCH. LA, New Orleans: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Williams, C., Morel, K., Kumorkiewicz-Jamro, A., Johnstone, D., Le, H., Sweeney, C., & Wardill, H. (2025). Radioprotective effects of parthenolide lotion against skin injury caused by radiation (REPAIR-1): protocol for a phase 0, non-randomised, double-blind, interventional pilot study. DOI |
| 2022 | Morel, K., Hamid, A., Falcón, B., Nanda, J., Linder, S., Bergman, A., . . . Ellis, L. (2022). Loss of tristetraprolin activates NF-κB induced phenotypic plasticity and primes transition to lethal prostate cancer. DOI |
| 2019 | Sheahan, A., Morel, K., Burkhart, D., Baca, S., Labbé, D., Roehle, K., . . . Ellis, L. (2019). Targeting EZH2 Increases Therapeutic Efficacy of Check-Point Blockade in Models of Prostate Cancer. DOI |
CURRENT FELLOWSHIPS
-
Prostate Cancer Foundation (US) Young Investigator Award. Morel KL. Modulation of oxidative stress responses to augment prostate cancer radiation therapy. 2024-2026. $346,707
PREVIOUS FELLOWSHIPS
- US Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program Early Investigator Research Award. Morel KL. Targeting EZH2 for Novel Combination Therapeutic Strategies in Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancer. 2019-2021. $USD 200,000.
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