Mikala Egeblad

Dr Mikala Egeblad is an Adjunct Professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She leads the Egeblad Laboratory at CSHL and co-directs the Cancer Center Program on Cellular Communication in Cancer. Her research deciphers how the tumor microenvironment, particularly myeloid cells and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), drives breast and pancreatic cancer progression and metastasis, using cutting-edge intravital imaging and genetically engineered mouse models.

Education & Training

• Ph.D., Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen & Danish Cancer Society (1996–2000)
• M.Sc., Human Biology, University of Copenhagen (1993–1996)
• B.S., Medicine, University of Copenhagen (1990–1993)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of California, San Francisco (2001–2006)

Research Focus

Egeblad’s laboratory investigates the complex ecosystem of tumors—how cancer cells interact with immune cells, blood vessels, and the extracellular matrix. Using intravital microscopy, the team visualizes these interactions in live mice in real time, revealing how neutrophils form NETs that awaken dormant cancer cells, how tumor-derived extracellular vesicles reprogram distant organs, and how therapeutic targeting of the microenvironment can overcome drug resistance. Their ultimate goal is to translate these insights into innovative cancer therapies.

Awards & Honors

• 2023 Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher
• 2019 Marks Foundation ASPIRE Award
• 2019 Winship Herr Faculty Teaching Award
• 2018 Suffrage Science Award
• 2017 CSHL Faculty Award for Significant Research Accomplishment
• 2017 Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators in Cancer Research

Grants & Funding

Research is supported by the NIH/NCI, the American Association for Cancer Research, the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance, and private philanthropic foundations.

Laboratory & Team

The Egeblad Lab at CSHL includes post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, research technicians, and undergraduate researchers working at the intersection of cancer biology, immunology, and imaging technology.