CCBIO dissertations
Dissertations affiliated to the Centre of Cancer Biomarkers.

2020
Martin Pilskog January 23.
Title: "Predictive biomarkers for response to treatment with sunitinib in renal cancer patients"
Supervisors: Professor Oddbjørn Straume, Professor Christian Beisland and Professor Lars A. Akslen.
See press release.
Jahedul Alam January 31.
Title: "Novel Insights into Integrin α11 Expression and Function"
Supervisors: Professor Donald Gullberg, Professor Rolf K. Reed and Professor James Lorens.
See press release.
Hilde Renate Engerud February 7.
Title: "Molecular markers to predict prognosis and guide therapy in endometrial cancer"
Supervisors: Professor Camilla Krakstad and Professor Jone Trovik.
See press release.
Caroline Benedicte Nitter Engen February 14.
Title: "Exploring the boundaries of precision haemato-oncology - The case of FLT3 length mutated acute myeloid leukaemia"
Supervisors: Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen, Professor Emmet McCormack and Professor Øystein Bruserud.
See press release.
Tone Hoel Lende March 6.
Title: "Proliferation in operable breast cancer. Aspects of prognostication and relevance of carbohydrate metabolism"
Supervisors: Professor Håvard Søiland, Professor Emiel AM Janssen, Professor Emeritus Jan PA Baak and Professor Lars A. Akslen.
See press release.
Tormod Karlsen Bjånes March 6.
Title: "Drug delivery in pancreatic cancer"
Supervisors: Bettina Riedel, Jan Schjøtt and Emmet McCormack.
See press release.
Harsh Nitin Dongre April 30.
Title: "Biomarkers and preclinical models for more precise diagnosis and personalized treatment of oral and vulva carcinomas - Study on human samples and experimental models"
Supervisors: Professor Daniela Elena Costea, Professor Line Bjørge and Professor Anne Christine Johannessen.
See press release.
Yaping Hua May 4.
Title: "Discovery and characterization of novel STAT3 and androgen receptor inhibitors in prostate cancer cells"
Supervisors: Professor Karl-Henning Kalland and Professor Xisong Ke.
See press release.
Hanna Elisabeth Dillekås June 4.
Title: "Importance of physical trauma on recurrence of breast cancer. Can tissue trauma synchronize growth of dormant micrometastases?"
Supervisors: Professor Oddbjørn Straume, Associate Professor Svein Arthur Jensen and Professor Olav Mella.
See press release.
Ragnhild Haugse June 17.
Title: "Endothelial cell signaling and sonoporation"
Supervisors: Associate Professor Spiros Kotopoulis, Professor Emmet McCormack and PhD Anika Langer.
See press release.
Nazar Gafar Abdulrahman Mohamed June 19.
Title: "Biomarker Identification in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Study on Cohorts of Patients from Sudan"
Supervisors: Professor Daniela Elena Costea, Professor Anne Christine Johannessen, Professor Ahmed Sulaiman and PhD Elisabeth Sivy Nginamau.
See press release.
Sissel Dyrstad August 21.
Title: “A study on metabolic rewiring in cancer cell plasticity”
Supervisors: Professor Karl Johan Tronstad, Researcher Gro Vatne Røsland and Professor Jim Lorens
See press release.
Ehsan Hajjar December 17.
Title: “Next generation leukemia diagnostics and therapy through p53 isoforms”
Supervisors: Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen, Senior Researcher Vibeke Andresen and Advisor Sigrun Margrethe Hjelle
See press release.
2019
Katharina Bischof February 8th.
Title: "Rethinking Gynecological High-Grade Serous Carcinoma. Portraying the p53 isoform landscape and development of a new preclinical tool for optical imaging in xenograft models"
Supervisors: Professor Line Bjørge, Professor Emmet McCormack, Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen and Researcher Stian Knappskog
See press release.
Maria Lie Lotsberg April 29th.
Title: "The role of AXL and the microenvironment in cancer cell plasticity and therapy responses. A study in non-small cell lung cancer models".
Supervisors: Professor James B. Lorens, Professor Lars A. Akslen and Researcher Agnete S.T. Engelsen
See press release.
Maria Ryssdal Kraby (NTNU).
Title: "Tumor Vasculature in Subtypes of Breast Cancer.”
Supervisors: Professor Anna Bofin, Associate Professor Signe Opdahl, Professor Lars A. Akslen and Researcher Hege Russnes.
See press release.
Sahba Shafiee June 20th.
Title: "Translational Development of Preclinical Models and Therapies in Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)"
Supervisors: Professor Emmet McCormack, Associate Professor Astrid Olsnes Kittang and Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen
See press release.
Kjersti Tefre Davidsen June 21st.
Title: "The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Axl in Tumour Phenotyptic Plasticity and Acquired Resistance to Cancer Targeted- and Immunotherapy"
Supervisors: Professor James Lorens and Professor Oddbjørn Straume
See press release.
Sameer Bhargava Nov 1st (Cancer Registry of Norway & UIO)
Title: “Mammographic screening among immigrant women in Norway; disparities in attendance and selected screening outcomes.”
Supervisors: Professor Solveig Hofvind, Associate Professor Kåre Moen and Professor Lars A. Akslen.
See press release.
Sigmund Ytre-Hauge December 11th.
Title: "Advanced imaging biomarkers in endometrial cancer"
Supervisors: Professor Ingfrid S. Haldorsen, Professor Jone Trovik and Professor Helga B. Salvesen (†)
See press release.
Katrin Kleinmanns December 13th.
Title: "Rethinking High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma: Development of New Preclinical Animal Models for Evaluation of Image-guided Surgery and Immunotherapy."
Supervisors: Professor Emmet McCormack and Professor Line Bjørge.
See press release.
2018
Tina Fonnes November 30th.
Title: “Preclinical models and molecular biomarkers - tools to improve treatment in endometrial carcinoma”
Supervisors: Professor Camilla Krakstad, Professor Emmet McCormack and Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen.
See press release.
Lawrence Fred Sembajwe August 24th.
Title: "EXT Proteins: Role in Heparan Sulfate Assembly and in Tumor Biology"
Supervisors: Professor Marion Kusche-Gullberg, Professor Donald Gullberg and Professor Helge Wiig.
See press release.
Israa Abdulrhman Ahmed June 26th.
Title: "Identification of prognostic biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma. Study on human samples and experimental models"
Supervisors: Professor Daniela Elena Costea, Professor Anne Christine Johannessen and Associate Professor Dipak Sapkota.
See press release.
Waqas Azeem June 1st.
Title: "Regulatory patterns in prostate cell differentiation – investigation of transcription factors AR, GATA2 and NKX3-1".
Supervisors: Professor Karl-Henning Kalland and Xisong Ke.
See press release.
Emilia Hugdahl April 20th.
Title: "Prognostic and molecular markers in primary and metastatic cutaneous melanoma".
Supervisors: Professor Lars A. Akslen and PhD Rita Grude Ladstein.
See press release.
Maria Ramnefjell April 10th.
Title: “Prognostic biomarkers and clinico-pathologic characteristics in non-small cell lung cancer. A study with special focus on tumor-vascular interactions”.
Supervisors: Professor Lars A. Akslen and Associate Professor Lars Helgeland.
See press release.
Henriette Christie Ertsås April 6th.
Title: “The effects of ageing on microenvironment-contextual epithelial cell signalling”.
Supervisors: Professor James B. Lorens and Professor Rein Aasland.
See press release.
Stein-Erik Gullaksen March 23rd.
Title: “Single cell signalling and immune profiles in chronic myeloid leukaemia”.
Supervisors: Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen, Associate Professor Jorunn Kirkeleit and Professor Emmet Mc Cormack.
See press release.
Tor Audun Klingen February 20th.
Title:"Vascular invasion by tumor cells, and other prognostic factors in a population-based breast cancer study".
Supervisors: Professor Lars A. Akslen and Associate Professor Elisabeth Wik.
See press release.
2017
Jan Roger Olsen January 27th.
Title:"Context dependent transcription factor regulation in normal and malignant cell differentiation".
Supervisors: Professor Karl-Henning Kalland, Xisong Ke and Anne Margrete Øyan.
See press release.
Maria Omsland February 3rd.
Title: "Investigation of the intercellular structure tunneling nanotube (TNT) in leukemia".
Supervisors: Dr. Vibeke Andresen and Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen.
See press release.
Pugazendhi Murugan Erusappan May 5th.
Title: “Molecular Aspects of Integrin α11 Function”
Supervisors: Professors Donald Gullberg and Helge Wiig.
See press release.
Karen Klepsland Mauland June 9th.
Title: "Context-related biomarkers in endometrial cancer – a study with focus on obesity and genomic alterations".
Supervisors: Dr. Henrica MJ Werner, Professor Helga B. Salvesen, Dr. Erling André Høivik and Professor Jone Trovik.
See press release.
Anna Berg June 22nd.
Title: "Molecular alterations and diagnostic imaging in premalignant and malignant endometrial lesions for improved diagnosis and treatment".
Supervisors: Professor Ingfrid Haldorsen, Professor Camilla Krakstad and Dr. Henrica MJ Werner.
See press release.
Inga Reigstad June 22nd.
Title: "Investigation of different aspects of the tumor microenvironment as determinants of tumor development and progression".
Supervisors: Professors Linda Stuhr and Rolf K. Reed.
See press release.
Sura Aziz June 27th.
Title: "Biological and clinico-pathologic markers in breast cancer. With focus on histologic features, markers of proliferation and angiogenesis".
Supervisors: Professor Lars A. Akslen and Associate Professor Elisabeth Wik.
See press release.
Stefan Hinz September 8th.
Title: “Mechanisms of AXL mediated cell plasticity and drug resistance”.
Supervisors: Professor James B. Lorens nd PhD Gro Gausdal.
See press release.
Marit Valla October 12th.
Title: "Molecular subtypes of breast cancer: incidence and prognosis".
Supervisors: Professor Anna M. Bofin, NTNU, Researcher Signe Opdahl, also NTNU, and Professor Lars A. Akslen, CCBIO. This was a collaboration project between CCBIO and NTNU.
Kristi Krüger November 8th.
Title: “Markers of angiogenesis and the basal-like phenotype of breast cancer”.
Supervisors: Professor Lars A. Akslen and MD PhD Elisabeth Wik.
See press release.
Mari Kyllesø Halle November 10th.
Title: “Molecular alterations suggesting new treatment strategies in uterine carcinomas”.
Supervisors: Professors Camilla Krakstad and Jone Trovik.
See press release.
Gry Sandvik Haaland November 17th.
Title: “Investigations of the cancer therapeutic and protective effects of warfarin-mediated inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL”.
Supervisors: Professor James Lorens and MD PhD Oddbjørn Straume.
See press release.
2016
André Sulen December 9th.
Title:"Leukocyte p38 and p53 proteins after environmental exposure; variation, associations and applicability".
Supervisors: Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen, Jörg Aβmus and Bjørg Eli Hollund.
See press release.
Cornelia Schuster November 22nd.
Title: "Investigation of predictive markers in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with bevacizumab".
Supervisors: Dr. Oddbjørn Straume and Professor Lars A. Akslen.
See press release.
Elise Aasebø November 4th.
Title: “Mass spectrometry-based proteome quantification in leukemic cells from acute myeloid leukemia patients”.
Supervisors: Professor Frode S. Berven, Professor Frode Selheim, Dr. Marc Vaudel and Bjørn Tore Gjertsen.
See press release.
Lavina Ahmed November 2nd.
Title:"Axl as a Biomarker in Breast and Lung Cancer".
Supervisors: Professor Lars A. Akslen, Dr. David Micklem and Dr. Hawa Nalwoga.
See press release.
Gøril Knutsvik October 31st.
Title: "Biomarkers in breast cancer, with special focus on tumor cell proliferation".
Supervisors: Professor Lars A. Akslen and Associate Professor Ingunn M. Stefansson.
See press release.
Ingvild Løberg Tangen October 7th.
Title: "Hormone signaling related factors as biomarkers in endometrial cancer"
Supervisors: Associate Professor Camilla Krakstad and Professor Helga Salvesen.
See press release.
Hengshuo Liu September 16th.
Title: “Expression and mechanosensitivity of integrin alpha 11 in the tumour microenvironment”.
Supervisors: Professor Donald Gullberg and Professor Rolf K. Reed.
See press release.
Fanny Pélissier May 9th.
Title: “The Role of Age in Cellular Responses to Microenvironmental Cues as a Breast Cancer Susceptibility Factor”.
Supervisors: Professor James B. Lorens and Dr. Mark LaBarge.
See press release.
Himalaya Parajuli April 29th.
Title: "Integrin Role of integrin α11 in oral carcinogenesis. In vitro and in vivo studies ".
Supervisors: Professors Daniela Elena Costea, Anne Christine Johannessen and Donald Gullberg.
See press release.
Jenny Hild Aase Husby 5 February 2016.
Title: ”Functional imaging to promote individualized and targeted therapy in endometrial cancer”.
Supervisors: Professors Ingfrid S. Haldorsen and Helga B. Salvesen.
See press release.
2015
Lene Elisabeth Myhren 16 October 2015.
Title: ”Cell death induction by free and encapsulated cancer drug candidates”.
Supervisors: Stein Ove Døskeland, Lars Herfindal and Bjørn Tore Gjertsen.
Press release.
Katarzyna Wnuk-Lipinska 7 April 2015.
Title: “The role of Axl signaling in phenotypic plasticity in normal and neoplastic epithelial cells”.
Supervisors: Professor James B.Lorens and David Micklem.
Press release.
Ida Wiig Sørensen 12 February 2015.
Title: «Molecular Characterisation of Integrin a 11 Function».
Main supervisor: Professor Donald Gullberg. Co-supervisor: Professor Marion Kusche-Gullberg.
Press release.
2014
Crina Elena Tiron 20 June 2014.
Title: “The Role of the Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase in Breast Cancer”.
Main supervisor: Professor James B. Lorens.
Press release.
Tariq Al-Hadi Osman 4 June 2014.
Title: “Cancer stem cell-related markers in normal and neoplastic oral mucosa; a study on human samples and experimental models”.
Main supervisor: Professor Daniela Elena Costea. Co-supervisor: Anne Christine Johannessen.
Press release.
Øystein Helland 23 May 2015.
Title: "Ovarian Cancer: A clinical challenge requiring basic answers. Development of an orthotopic ovarian xenograft model accessible to surgical intervention and exploring the role of Treg in evasion of immune destruction".
Main supervisor: Professor Line Bjørge. Co-supervisors: Professors Bjørn Tore Gjertsen and Emmet McCormack.
Press release.
Henrica Maria Johanna Werner 20 May 2014.
Title: "Clinical and molecular markers in endometrial cancer. Studying prognostic and predictive biomarkers that can help to individualise therapeutic decisions".
Main supervisor: Professor Helga Salvesen. Co-supervisor: PhD Candidate Jone Trovik.
Press release.
Amani Hamza A. Osman 20 February 2014.
Title: "Characterization of the tumor stroma and stem cell niche in oral squamous cell carcinoma".
Main supervisor: Professor Anne Christine Johannessen. Co-supervisor: Professor Daniela Elena Costea.
Press release.
Åshild Lunde 7 February 2014.
Title: ″Tensions in Practice, Knowledge and Regulation: Genetic Counseling in Norway″.
Main supervisor: Professor Roger Strand. Co-supervisor: professor Karin Nordin.
Press release.
2013
Hanne Eknes Puntervoll 11 December 2013.
Title: "Molecular studies of sporadic and hereditary cutaneous malignant melanoma”.
Main supervisors (50/50): Professors Anders Molven and Lars A. Akslen.
Press release.
Hanne Haslene-Hox 11 October 2013.
Title: “The microenvironment in human ovarian carcinoma - characterization through proteomic analysis of tissue interstitial fluid”.
Main supervisor: Professor Helge Wiig. Co-supervisors: Professor Helga Salvesen and Professor Olav Tenstad.
Press release.
Elisabeth Wik 30 September 2013.
Title: “Endometrial carcinoma: a step closer to individualized therapy? Exploring transcriptional alterations in relation to prognostic biomarkers”.
Main supervisor: Professor Helga Salvesen. Co-supervisor: Professor Lars A.Akslen.
Press release.
Even Birkeland 20 September 2013.
Title: “Mutations and gene amplifications in endometrial carcinomas. Clinical characteristics and potential targets for therapy related to KRAS, MYC, ATAD2, PIK3CA and FGFR2 alterations”.
Main supervisor: Professor Helga Salvesen. Co-supervisor: Associate Professor Camilla Krakstad.
Press release.
Jørn Skavland 30 August 2013.
Title: "Risk stratification and therapy response monitoring by phosphoprotein profiles in acute myeloid leukaemia".
Main supervisor: Professor Bjørn Tore Gjertsen. Co-supervisor: Professor Øystein Bruserud.
Press release.