Dr. Ann-Christin Hau

 

Junior Group Leader
MSNZ/FCI “Translational Neurooncology” Group
Dr. Senckenbergisches Institut für Neuroonkologie/
Edinger Institut
Heinrich-Hoffmann Straße 7
60528 Frankfurt

 

Email: hau@med.uni-frankfurt.de

Web

Scientific Focus

We study how cellular heterogeneity and tumor–brain interactions drive invasion and therapy resistance in diffuse gliomas. Using patient-derived tumor organoids, orthotopic models, and human brain organoid co-cultures, our team investigates how genetic states and microenvironmental cues shape tumor cell plasticity, immune evasion, and treatment response. By integrating functional genomic perturbations with preclinical immunotherapy testing in clinically relevant model systems, we aim to identify actionable vulnerabilities and develop biologically informed strategies for patient stratification and personalized therapy in malignant brain tumors.

Methods

  • Patient-derived tumor organoids and glioma stem cell cultures
  • Human brain organoid fusion and tumor–brain interface models
  • Orthotopic xenograft models and in vivo therapeutic testing
  • Preclinical immunotherapy assays and tumor–immune co-culture systems
  • Functional genomic perturbations (CRISPR-based editing and screening)
  • Drug response profiling and combination therapy testing
  • Molecular and cellular phenotyping (transcriptomics, histology, fluorescence imaging)

Selected Publications

FeTS initiative. Federated learning enables big data for rare cancer boundary detection. Nat Commun. 2022 Dec 5;13(1):7346. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-33407-5.

The GLASS Consortium. Glioma progression is shaped by genetic evolution and microenvironment interactions. Cell. 2022 Jun 9;185(12):2184-2199.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.038. Epub 2022 May 31.

Hau AC, Mommaerts E, Laub V, Müller T, Dittmar G, Schulte D. Transcriptional cooperation of PBX1 and PAX6 in adult neural progenitor cells. Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 25;11(1):21013. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99968-5.

Klein E, Hau AC, Oudin A, Golebiewska A, Niclou SP. Glioblastoma Organoids: Pre-Clinical Applications and Challenges in the Context of Immunotherapy. Front Oncol. 2020 Dec 8;10:604121. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.604121.

Golebiewska A*, Hau AC*, Oudin A*, Stieber D, Yabo YA, Baus V, Barthelemy V, Klein E, Bougnaud S, Keunen O, Wantz M, Michelucci A, Neirinckx V, Muller A, Kaoma T, Nazarov PV, Azuaje F, De Falco A, Flies B, Richart L, Poovathingal S, Arns T, Grzyb K, Mock A, Herold-Mende C, Steino A, Brown D, May P, Miletic H, Malta TM, Noushmehr H, Kwon YJ, Jahn W, Klink B, Tanner G, Stead LF, Mittelbronn M, Skupin A, Hertel F, Bjerkvig R, Niclou SP (joint first author *). Patient-derived organoids and orthotopic xenografts of primary and recurrent gliomas represent relevant patient avatars for precision oncology. Acta Neuropathol. 2020 Dec;140(6):919-949. doi: https://10.1007/s00401-020-02226-7. Epub 2020 Oct 3

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