PhD in Malignant Disease—Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Austria 

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been increasing. Although surgical interventions are available options, up to 80% of patients present with advanced disease not amenable to standard therapies. Due to rapid drug resistance and toxicities, there is an urgent need to develop alternative treatments. Galectins (Gals) are a family of carbohydrate-binding lectins that binds to β-galactoside-containing glycoconjugates. Galectin 1 (Gal1) is a valid cancer target because of its overexpression in various types of cancer. My project aims to define the role of Gal1 in regulating liver carcinogenesis and  study the novel Gal1 inhibitor effects in orthotopic mouse models.