T-cell leukemias/lymphomas (TCLs) are rare hematological malignancies of mostly incurable prospects due to limited targeted therapies and a lack of faithful pre-clinical models. We study molecular mechanisms driving disease pathogenesis and tumor microenvironment crosstalk, using CRISPR/Cas9 genetic screening and (single cell) OMICS technologies, to identify and test new therapeutic targets. We also establish novel murine and patient-derived TCL cell lines and pre-clinical mouse models. Ultimately, from both our mechanistic and pre-clinical studies, we aim to identify novel therapeutic strategies for TCLs that can be translated to the clinics.

Sex-specific differences exist across many tissues, including the hematopoietic compartment, contributing to sex biases in various physiological/pathological contexts, including immune responses and cancer incidence/mortality. However, the molecular mechanisms driving these sex biases remain poorly understood. We study mechanisms driving sex-specific signaling in the hematopoietic compartment and in immune cells, employing in vivo models, ex vivo single-cell assays, and OMICS technologies. This work has the potential to break new ground in understanding sex biases in hematopoiesis and the immune system, relevant for various health and disease contexts.