Maximiliano Portal

Dr. Maximiliano Portal is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and Group Leader at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute (formerly known as the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research) since 2023. His research focuses on the intersection of genetic and non-genetic information networks in cancer evolution and cellular adaptation. Prior to his current position, he was a CRUK Manchester Institute Fellow (2017-2023) and Lecturer in Cancer Biology at the University of Strasbourg (2015-2017).

Dr. Portal's research interests center on phenotypic plasticity—the ability of a single genotype to produce multiple phenotypes—and its critical role in cancer progression and therapy resistance. His laboratory investigates how non-genetic mechanisms including DNA and histone modifications, chromatin architecture, gene expression dynamics, and RNA-protein interactions contribute to cellular adaptability. Notably, his team has demonstrated that transcriptome diversity in differentiated cellular systems follows defined patterns rather than being random, revealing 'phylo(epi-)genetic lineages' within genetically identical cell populations. This work has profound implications for understanding cancer evolution and developing more effective anticancer therapies.

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on developing and applying innovative single-cell technologies to study lineage-linked transcriptome plasticity and non-genetic inheritance mechanisms. The research spans molecular biology, cancer evolution, and epigenetics, with particular emphasis on how cancer cells adapt to environmental challenges including drug treatments. His laboratory blends technological development with fundamental biological exploration using 2D, 3D, and organoid models.

• 2023 Beatson Research Fellow, Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute
• 2021 Joint CRUK Manchester Institute - AstraZeneca - Agenda Life Sciences 3Rs award for scONIME platform
• 2017-2022 Cancer Research UK Fellow
• 2015-2017 Plan cancer INSERM grant for EpiCaR project
• Multiple research grants from French and Argentine institutions

Dr. Portal leads a research group focused on cell plasticity and epigenetics within the School of Cancer Sciences. His laboratory includes postdoctoral scientists and PhD students investigating molecular mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity in cancer cells. Current projects examine the interplay between non-genetic mechanisms and genetic mutations in oncogenes to understand cellular transformation processes. The lab employs multimodal single-cell technologies to study cellular proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, oncogene-induced transformation, and drug resistance mechanisms.