PD Dr. rer. nat. Markus Morkel
Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology
BIH Bioportal Single Cells
Institute of Pathology Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Charitéplatz 1
10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 450 536 107
E-Mail: markus.morkel(at)charite.de
https://pathologie-ccm.charite.de/metas/person/person/address_detail/morkel/
Scientific Scope
My scientific background is in developmental biology and in cancer research, two fields sharing a common interest in signals controlling cell phenotypes and cell developmental trajectories. In particular, I am interested in the roles of oncogenic signals in controlling cancer cell development. We use transgenic mouse and organoid models and patient-derived tissues and organoids to decipher contributions of individual oncogenes to cancer cell signaling networks, with a focus on Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K-AKT, and MAPK. Furthermore, we employ fluorescent reporters and single cell methodology such as CyTOF and single cell RNA sequencing to assess cell heterogeneity on the levels of the signaling network and the transcriptome, respectively. Generally, our studies are designed to understand how oncogenic signals shape cancer cell phenotypes with the translational aim to identify novel vulnerabilities of cancer signal transduction networks.
Selected References
- Uhlitz, F., Bischoff, P., Peidli, S., Sieber, A., Trinks, A., Lüthen, M., Obermayer, B., Blanc, E., Ruchiy, Y., Sell, T., Mamlouk, S., Arsie, R., Wei, T.T., Klotz-Noack, K., Schwarz, R.F., Sawitzki, B., Kamphues, C., Beule, D., Landthaler, M., Sers, C., Horst, D., Blüthgen, N., Morkel, M. (2021) "Mitogen-activated protein kinase activity drives cell trajectories in colorectal cancer." EMBO Mol Med. 2021 Oct 7;13(10):e14123
- Farrall, A.L., Lienhard, M., Grimm, C., Kuhl, H., Sluka, S.H.M., Caparros, M., Forejt, J., Timmermann, B., Herwig, R., Herrmann, B.G., Morkel, M.(2021) "PWD/Ph-Encoded Genetic Variants Modulate the Cellular Wnt/β-Catenin Response to Suppress Apc Min-Triggered Intestinal Tumor Formation." Cancer Res. 2021 Jan 1;81(1):38-49.
- Klotz-Noack, K., Klinger, B., Rivera, M., Bublitz, N., Uhlitz, F., Riemer, P., Lüthen, M., Sell, T., Kasack, K., Gastl, B., Ispasanie, S.S.S., Simon, T., Janssen, N., Schwab, M., Zuber, J., Horst, D., Blüthgen, N., Schäfer, R., Morkel, M., Sers, C. (2020) "SFPQ Depletion Is Synthetically Lethal with BRAFV600E in Colorectal Cancer Cells." Cell Rep. 2020 Sep 22;32(12):108184. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108184.
- Brandt, R., Uhlitz, F., Riemer, P., Giesecke, C., Schulze, S., El-Shimy, E.A., Fauler, B., Mielke, T., Mages, N., Herrmann, B.G., Sers, C., Blüthgen, N., Morkel, M. (2019) "Cell type-dependent differential activation of ERK by oncogenic KRAS in colon cancer and intestinal epithelium." Nat Commun. 2019 doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10954-y (F1000 recommended).
- Riemer, P., Rydenfelt, M., Marks, M., van Eunen, K., Thedieck, K., Herrmann, B.G., Blüthgen, N., Sers, C., Morkel, M. (2017) "Oncogenic β-Catenin and PIK3CA instruct network states and cancer phenotypes in intestinal organoids. " J Cell Biol., 2017 doi: 10.1083/jcb.201610058.