Basant Kumar Thakur

PD Dr. Basant Kumar Thakur is a researcher at the University Hospital Essen, affiliated with the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen. He leads the Cancer Exosome Research Lab within the Department of Pediatrics III, focusing on the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cancer progression, particularly in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML). His work bridges molecular oncology, liquid biopsy development, and cancer immunology.

His research centers on three major themes: (i) identification and purification of cancer-specific EVs carrying dsDNA for clinical biomarker development; (ii) mechanisms of EV-DNA transfer into recipient cells; and (iii) functional consequences of this transfer on metastatic progression, including immune modulation via the cGAS/STING pathway. He has developed bead-based methods to isolate homogeneous EV populations and is analyzing large patient cohorts to establish EV-DNA as a tool for detecting minimal residual disease.

The recent publications highlight a strong focus on EV biology, with applications in glioma therapy, plant-derived vesicles for drug delivery, and EV-DNA's role in immune activation and stem cell dysfunction. Keywords across articles include oncology, molecular biology, immunology, and nanomedicine, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to cancer research.

Scientific awards are not mentioned in the provided text.

Dr. Thakur actively collaborates with Prof. Bernd Giebel (Transfusion Medicine, UK Essen) and contributes to EU and DFG-funded research programs. He is involved in PhD training through the ZMB (Centre for Medical Biotechnology) and participates in the European Liquid Biopsy Society. His lab investigates EV-based diagnostics and therapeutic strategies, particularly in pediatric cancers and solid tumors.

The Cancer Exosome Research Lab is part of the ZMB and contributes to the Oncology research program. The team employs advanced techniques like single molecule localization microscopy and functional assays to study EV-DNA transfer and its impact on tumor microenvironment and metastasis.