Susanna Plugge

The “Laboratory for Stem Cell and Cancer Research” is a research group within the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The main research goal of our laboratory is the elucidation of the molecular and cellular basis of tumor initiation and progression, and the translation of these mechanisms into preventive and therapeutic intervention.

More in particular, the focus of our most recent research efforts is centered around the phenotypic plasticity of the cancer cell, i.e. its capacity to change its cellular identity as a function of its direct environment. The perfect analogy for phenotypic plasticity is with the literary figure of “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” where a bipolar dissociative identity type of disorder allows a single individual with a fixed genotype to acquire different phenotypes. A very good example of this was provided by our most recent publications (Nature Genetics 56:1456, 2024; Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 21:603, 2024) where we show how Western-style dietary habits affect colon cancer initiation and progression.

We are a team of young (with the exception of the PI!) and enthusiastic scientists from different regions of the world working as master (MSc) or PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and research technicians. I do hope that you will enjoy visiting our web site and that the visit will inspire you, notwithstanding your background and motivations.

Enjoy!

Riccardo Fodde, PhD
principal investigator