Angela Risch

Prof. Angela Risch leads the Division of Cancer Genetics/Epigenetics at the University of Salzburg's Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences. Her research focuses on genetic and epigenetic mechanisms in cancer, particularly DNA methylation patterns as biomarkers for lung cancer risk and progression. She employs advanced molecular techniques including methylome analysis and genome-wide SNP association studies.

Research Interests: Her team investigates smoking-induced epigenetic changes, inflammation-related tumor microenvironments, non-B DNA structures in metabolic diseases, and therapeutic applications of epigenetic drugs. Key collaborations include international consortia like the International Lung Cancer Consortium (ILCCO) and Cancer Cluster Salzburg.

Recent Publications (2017-2023) demonstrate consistent focus on epigenetic biomarkers in oncology, methodological advances in DNA structure detection, and clinical applications in cancer therapy. Dominant themes include DNA methylation dynamics, tumor microenvironment interactions, and therapeutic targeting of epigenetic regulators.

Student Advising: Prof. Risch has supervised over 10 PhD and Master's candidates since 2017, with thesis topics spanning functional analysis of methylated regions, epigenetic drug effects, and cancer risk marker validation.