Dr Eiman Elwakeel
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School, and Research Fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dr Eiman Elwakeel
Dr Eiman Elwakeel
About
Elwakeel is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT. She holds a PhD in Medicine from the Goethe University Frankfurt.
Current research
Elwakeel develops comprehensive genome wide CRISPR libraries to screen digenic dependencies across different signaling pathways. Using these libraries, she investigate contextual synthetic lethal vulnerabilities in cancer cells aiming for identifying potential therapeutic targets. The ultimate goal of her research is to uncover potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment while minimising any off-target effects on healthy cells.
Future research vision
During her doctoral studies, Elwakeel extensively investigated the interactions of cancer cells with the surrounding stroma and how it impacts tumor development. She wants to leverage her knowledge about tumor microenvironment (TME) and complement it with her current research focus on functional genomics. By merging these areas of expertise, she will gain a holistic understanding of the complex dynamics between cancer cells and the stroma, as well as how it is reflected on tumor evolution and response to treatment. Most importantly, this integrated approach will greatly enhance her ability to identify synthetic lethal interactions within the TME, paving the way for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets.
Key publications

Elwakeel, E et al. Disruption of Prostaglandin E2 Signaling in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Limits Mammary Carcinoma Growth but Promotes Metastasis. Cancer Research, 2022.

Nicolas, AM et al. Inflammatory Fibroblasts Mediate Resistance to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Rectal Cancer. Cancer Cell, 2022.

Tirado-Gonzalez, I et al. AXL Inhibition in Macrophages Stimulates Host-versus-Leukemia Immunity and Eradicates Naïve and Treatment-Resistant Leukemia. Cancer Discovery, 2021.

Elwakeel, E et al. Phenotypic Plasticity of Fibroblasts during Mammary Carcinoma Development. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2019.

Weichand, B et al. S1PR1 on Tumor-Associated Macrophages Promotes Lymphangiogenesis and Metastasis via NLRP3/IL-1β. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2017.

Key awards

Walter Benjamin Programme Postdoctoral Fellowship, German Research Foundation (DFG).

Nachwuchsforscherförderung (Young Researcher Funding Award), Goethe-University Frankfurt.

Graduate School Scholarship Programme, German Academic Exchange Agency (DAAD).

PhD Scholarship, Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation.

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