معرفی
Dr. Ralf Zwacka is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex, School of Life Sciences, with a focus on cancer biology and stem cell research. His career spans multiple institutions, including the University of Galway, University of Ulm, and University of Edinburgh.
- Education: BSc Biochemistry (University of Manchester), PhD (Open University and Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe), MBA
Dr. Zwacka's research centers on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as gene delivery vehicles, apoptosis pathways in cancer, and redox-regulated mechanisms in tumor progression. He investigates how MSCs influence tumor metastasis and how epigenetic regulation (e.g., miRNAs) affects cancer cell death.
His publications highlight trends in TRAIL-based therapies, MSC engineering, and apoptosis modulation in pancreatic, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Recent work explores SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibition via antiandrogens like enzalutamide.
Grants and Funding: Current projects include Next-Generation Liquid Biopsies for pancreatic and colorectal cancer diagnostics (Pancreatic Cancer UK, Bowel Cancer UK), and a COVID-19 Therapeutics Development grant from the University of Essex.
Teaching Responsibilities: Courses in Stem Cell Biology, Molecular Basis of Cancer, and Advanced Research Skills. He supervises PhD and MSc students, including Aleyna Gouney, Serap Gokcen Dogan, and Tianyuan Chu.
