Cristina Cadenas

Dr. Cristina Cadenas serves as Head of the Interorgan Toxicology Research Group at the Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the TU Dortmund (IfADo), within the Department of Toxicology led by Prof. Dr. Jan G. Hengstler. She has held this Group Leader position since 2018, following her tenure as Junior Group Leader (2013-2017) and Postdoc (2010-2013) at the same institution. Prior to joining IfADo, Dr. Cadenas conducted postdoctoral research at the Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences (ISAS) and the Max Planck Institute for Experimental Endocrinology.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the Technical University of Braunschweig (1994-2000), where she investigated 'Identification of new genes involved in embryonic development by Gene-trap insertional mutagenesis in mouse embryonic stem cells' under Prof. Dr. H.-H. Arnold. She completed her Biology studies with specialization in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Universidad Autónoma, Madrid and Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (1988-1994).

Dr. Cadenas' research focuses on three primary areas: Oncogene-mediated tumor metabolome, Mechanisms of cell survival and prognostic factors in breast cancer, and Metabolic changes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Her work bridges toxicology, metabolism, and disease mechanisms, with particular emphasis on how metabolic alterations influence disease progression and treatment response.

Analysis of her publication record reveals a strong focus on translational toxicology research, particularly examining liver disease mechanisms, breast cancer metabolism, and drug-induced organ toxicity. Her recent work (2021-2025) demonstrates increasing sophistication in multi-omics approaches, integrating epigenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data to understand disease mechanisms. A notable trend is her research on the interorgan communication in toxicology, particularly the liver-intestine axis and hepatorenal interactions in disease states.

Dr. Cadenas has been involved in significant collaborative research projects, including the Dortmund Vital Study examining cognitive aging and work ability, and the EXPRESSION trial investigating chemotherapy response in breast cancer. Her work frequently appears in high-impact journals across hepatology, toxicology, and oncology.

As Head of the Interorgan Toxicology Research Group, she leads investigations into how organs communicate in health and disease states, with particular focus on metabolic liver diseases and breast cancer metabolism. Her laboratory employs advanced techniques including metabolomics, epigenomics, and in vitro/in vivo disease modeling to investigate fundamental mechanisms of disease progression and treatment response.