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The Bjørkøy lab study how cancer cells take control over surrounding normal cells in ways that facilitate aggressive tumour development. Our focus is on how cancer cells induce autophagy in normal cells as a way to mobilize nutrients, how cancer cells instruct a local immune suppression, and how certain cancer cells form and remove intracellular protein aggregates.

We use a combination of proteomic and high capacity sequencing approaches on cell and animal models to identify novel candidates for causative factors. We use data mining in public databases or analyses of clinical samples to evaluate if the candidates may be causal in aggressive tumour development in patients. We use genetic and/or chemical approaches to interfere with putative causal factors and advanced imaging and cell biological assays to monitor effects with the aim to find novel targets for improved management of aggressive cancers

Our laboratory is an integrated part of the University Hospital with easy access to clinical samples and expertise; our core facilities provide the needed advanced infrastructure and the laboratory at our centre of excellence have all the facilities for advanced molecular cell biological research.  The Bjørkøy lab study how cancer cells take control over surrounding normal cells in ways that facilitate aggressive tumour development. Our focus is on how cancer cells induce autophagy in normal cells as a way to mobilize nutrients, how cancer cells instruct a local immune suppression, and how certain cancer cells form and remove intracellular protein aggregates.

We use a combination of proteomic and high capacity sequencing approaches on cell and animal models to identify novel candidates for causative factors. We use data mining in public databases or analyses of clinical samples to evaluate if the candidates may be causal in aggressive tumour development in patients. We use genetic and/or chemical approaches to interfere with putative causal factors and advanced imaging and cell biological assays to monitor effects with the aim to find novel targets for improved management of aggressive cancers. Our laboratory is an integrated part of the University Hospital with easy access to clinical samples and expertise; our core facilities provide the needed advanced infrastructure and the laboratory at our centre of excellence have all the facilities for advanced molecular cell biological research.