{"entity": "researcher", "timestamp": "2026-08-20T20:37:11.351Z", "family": "Ungureanu", "given": "Daniela", "initials": "D", "orcid": "0000-0002-9314-4972", "affiliations": ["Applied Tumor Genomics, Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland. daniela.ungureanu@helsinki.fi.", "Cancer Signaling, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014, Tampere, Finland. daniela.ungureanu@helsinki.fi.", "Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland. daniela.ungureanu@helsinki.fi."], "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/7e3b69d0c4c647c0a0460d7ef0d66603.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/7e3b69d0c4c647c0a0460d7ef0d66603"}}, "publications": [{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "cd554512c7194983b18c22de4faaeffd", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/cd554512c7194983b18c22de4faaeffd.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/cd554512c7194983b18c22de4faaeffd"}}, "title": "Molecular profiling of ex vivo prostate cancer CAF models captures stromal heterogeneity and drug vulnerabilities.", "authors": [{"family": "Rantanen", "given": "Frida", "initials": "F", "orcid": "0009-0008-9597-5498", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/b49cc1aef4fd4a2f9807429db8994086.json"}}, {"family": "Murum\u00e4gi", "given": "Astrid", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Arjama", "given": "Mariliina", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "V\u00e4lim\u00e4ki", "given": "Katja", "initials": "K", "orcid": "0000-0001-9117-7589", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/6e4948127dec4455803fa8c74fefbde5.json"}}, {"family": "Multam\u00e4ki", "given": "Elina", "initials": "E"}, {"family": "Mirtti", "given": "Tuomas", "initials": "T"}, {"family": "Rannikko", "given": "Antti", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Pellinen", "given": "Teijo", "initials": "T"}, {"family": "Ungureanu", "given": "Daniela", "initials": "D", "orcid": "0000-0002-9314-4972", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/7e3b69d0c4c647c0a0460d7ef0d66603.json"}}, {"family": "Kallioniemi", "given": "Olli", "initials": "O"}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2025-11-06", "journal": {"title": "Cell death discovery", "issn": "2058-7716", "volume": "11", "issue": "1", "pages": "507", "issn-l": "2058-7716"}, "abstract": "Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are central architects of the prostate cancer (PCa) microenvironment, yet their phenotypic diversity and druggable vulnerabilities remain largely uncharted. Here, we present an integrative multi-omics characterization of primary ex vivo CAFs from seven treatment-na\u00efve PCa patients. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we uncover substantial transcriptional heterogeneity among CAFs, with distinct gene expression programs related to extracellular matrix remodeling, inflammation, immune modulation, and metabolic reprogramming. This phenotypic diversity was further supported by variable expression of canonical stromal markers, including FAP, SULF1, VIM, CAV1, and \u03b1SMA. Transcription factor network analysis revealed SOX, FOX, and STAT3 family members as key regulators of pro-tumorigenic CAF states. To probe therapeutic vulnerabilities, we performed high-throughput drug sensitivity and resistance testing (DSRT) across 396 oncology compounds. CAFs exhibited broad sensitivity to multikinase inhibitors, with dasatinib, midostaurin, and FGFR inhibitors (AZD4547, erdafitinib) emerging as top stromal-directed candidates. These findings underscore the plasticity of prostate CAFs and reveal actionable vulnerabilities, supporting the development of targeted stromal therapies to disrupt tumor-stroma interactions in PCa.", "doi": "10.1038/s41420-025-02792-3", "pmid": "41198614", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC12592484"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "10.1038/s41420-025-02792-3"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-20T08:49:59.284Z", "modified": "2026-08-20T08:49:59.445Z"}, {"entity": "publication", "iuid": "1058b7aa5e544e768857266b689156a4", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/1058b7aa5e544e768857266b689156a4.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/1058b7aa5e544e768857266b689156a4"}}, "title": "Multiomics characterization implicates PTK7 in ovarian cancer EMT and cell plasticity and offers strategies for therapeutic intervention.", "authors": [{"family": "Raivola", "given": "Juuli", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "Dini", "given": "Alice", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0002-2720-4551", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/3c00ed4eb41e45629cfc525e737f99c4.json"}}, {"family": "Karvonen", "given": "Hanna", "initials": "H", "orcid": "0000-0002-7815-0709", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/2c94053074c04bdf9c30c291fcf340d5.json"}}, {"family": "Piki", "given": "Emilia", "initials": "E", "orcid": "0000-0001-6662-0518", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/31e6bcd2c18a4f7eb6d14a0b46a9ec9d.json"}}, {"family": "Salokas", "given": "Kari", "initials": "K", "orcid": "0000-0002-4471-6698", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/190607084e894810876c6501aa677511.json"}}, {"family": "Niininen", "given": "Wilhelmiina", "initials": "W"}, {"family": "Kaleva", "given": "Laura", "initials": "L"}, {"family": "Zhang", "given": "Kaiyang", "initials": "K"}, {"family": "Arjama", "given": "Mariliina", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Gudoityte", "given": "Greta", "initials": "G"}, {"family": "Seashore-Ludlow", "given": "Brinton", "initials": "B"}, {"family": "Varjosalo", "given": "Markku", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Kallioniemi", "given": "Olli", "initials": "O", "orcid": "0000-0002-3231-0332", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/cb8605b07c884323afe4e1f2da37a031.json"}}, {"family": "Hautaniemi", "given": "Sampsa", "initials": "S"}, {"family": "Murum\u00e4gi", "given": "Astrid", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Ungureanu", "given": "Daniela", "initials": "D", "orcid": "0000-0002-9314-4972", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/7e3b69d0c4c647c0a0460d7ef0d66603.json"}}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2022-08-17", "journal": {"title": "Cell Death Dis", "issn": "2041-4889", "volume": "13", "issue": "8", "pages": "714", "issn-l": "2041-4889"}, "abstract": "Most patients with ovarian cancer (OC) are diagnosed at a late stage when there are very few therapeutic options and a poor prognosis. This is due to the lack of clearly defined underlying mechanisms or an oncogenic addiction that can be targeted pharmacologically, unlike other types of cancer. Here, we identified protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) as a potential new therapeutic target in OC following a multiomics approach using genetic and pharmacological interventions. We performed proteomics analyses upon PTK7 knockdown in OC cells and identified novel downstream effectors such as synuclein-\u03b3 (SNCG), SALL2, and PP1\u03b3, and these findings were corroborated in ex vivo primary samples using PTK7 monoclonal antibody cofetuzumab. Our phosphoproteomics analyses demonstrated that PTK7 modulates cell adhesion and Rho-GTPase signaling to sustain epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell plasticity, which was confirmed by high-content image analysis of 3D models. Furthermore, using high-throughput drug sensitivity testing (525 drugs) we show that targeting PTK7 exhibited synergistic activity with chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel, CHK1/2 inhibitor prexasertib, and PLK1 inhibitor GSK461364, among others, in OC cells and ex vivo primary samples. Taken together, our study provides unique insight into the function of PTK7, which helps to define its role in mediating aberrant Wnt signaling in ovarian cancer.", "doi": "10.1038/s41419-022-05161-5", "pmid": "35977930", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC9386025"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "10.1038/s41419-022-05161-5"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-20T08:49:49.788Z", "modified": "2026-08-20T08:49:49.960Z"}]}