Jef Haerinck

The transition between epithelial and mesenchymal cellular states is not a simple binary switch but a dynamic process involving numerous intermediate phenotypes. This phenomenon, termed Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity (EMP), is increasingly recognized as a crucial driver of cancer progression. EMP enhances tumor malignancy by promoting cell invasion, metastasis, the acquisition of cancer stem cell properties, and resistance to therapy.
My research aims to dissect the molecular mechanisms governing EMP in colorectal and breast cancer. To achieve this, I integrate cutting-edge methodologies, including single-cell transcriptomics, spatial tissue analysis, and functional biology using genetically engineered mouse models and organoids. A primary focus of my work is the transcription factor ZEB1, a master regulator of EMT in breast cancer.
Ultimately, by elucidating the complex regulatory networks of EMP, this research seeks to uncover novel molecular vulnerabilities. A deeper understanding of this process will pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies to combat tumor progression and overcome treatment resistance.
 

• ‘Partial EMT takes the lead in cancer metastasis’, Developmental Cell, 2021. (PMID: 34875220)
• 'The epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity landscape: principles of design and mechanisms of regulation', Nature Reviews Genetics, 2023. (PMID: 37169858)
   

• Lab address: Molecular and Cellular Oncology Lab, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent
• Molecular and Cellular Oncology Lab 
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• Jef Haerinck interested to receive invitations for talks or presentations