Carla is a dedicated and results-driven cancer researcher with seven years of experience across multiple cancer models. She built a solid academic foundation at Stellenbosch University and has remained dedicated to producing high-quality research while striving for strong academic performance. Passionate about understanding chemotherapy resistance, her work has focused on the role of the tumour microenvironment in treatment outcomes. More recently, expanding to explore tumour immunogenicity and its impact on therapeutic response. Committed to advancing precision oncology in South Africa, Carla is eager to contribute to its integration and evolution in the local healthcare landscape.

Precision medicine has become an emerging approach for cancer treatment and can significantly improve patient prognosis and care. To this extent, a pathology-supported genetic testing (PSGT) framework was established in South Africa to enhance the clinical outcomes for breast cancer patients. This framework consists of a wellness survey, chemical pathology, histopathology reports, and genetic testing, including point-of-care screening, multi-gene panel testing and whole exome or genome sequencing (WES/WGS). However, the implementation of WES/WGS as a first-line screen is hampered by the frequent identification of variants of uncertain significance (VUSs). Therefore, the overall goal of her project was to establish a functional genomics pipeline to be incorporated into the PSGT framework and thereby improve the classification of rare or novel variants and enhance the clinical benefits of WES/WGS.

Recently, a rare TP53 germline variant (NM_001126114.2, c.1018A>G, p.N340D) was identified for the first time through WES in a South African patient who tested negative for BRCA1/2 founder variants and had a history of three primary invasive breast carcinomas. Further family screening using WGS and Sanger sequencing confirmed co-segregation of the variant with cancer on the maternal side of the family. In silico tools predicted the TP53 N340D variant as likely pathogenic, while protein modelling pointed toward altered protein structure that could impair protein function. However, functional studies were still required to confirm the variant classification. As such, the aim of her project was to investigate the functional impact of the variant on cell proliferation, cell death, senescence, migration, immune destruction, and cell signalling responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from these patients, as a translational ex vivo model. 

An estimated 22% of women diagnosed with cancer in South Africa are afflicted with breast cancer. Current treatment options have many challenges, including severe adverse effects and chemoresistance. The rapidly growing field of nanotechnology has prompted great interest in its application for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Gold nanoparticles, particularly, have been widely investigated for their use in cancer therapeutics. The green synthesis approach is favourable in that it is cost-effective, sustainable, and makes use of plant materials used in traditional medicine. The selected plant for this study have already been shown to induce apoptosis in triple negative breast cancer cells. My study will use extracts of these plants to synthesis gold nanoparticles, in turn, imparting their anticancer properties to the nanoparticles. Therefore, the aim of my study is to investigate the applicability of green gold nanoparticles synthesised using aqueous extracts of D. viscosa for breast cancer treatment by using both in vitro and in vivo methods.

Michelle is investigating the role of miR-142-3p in cervical cancer. While miR-142-3p is primarily characterized as a tumour suppressor, emerging studies suggest it may have a dual role in cancer, particularly within the tumour microenvironment. Intracellularly, miR-142-3p exerts tumour-suppressive effects by reducing cell proliferation, enhancing cisplatin sensitivity, and inhibiting metastasis. However, cancer cells can selectively export this miRNA via extracellular vesicles (EVs), a mechanism that may allow them to eliminate its suppressive influence. Once in the tumour microenvironment, miR-142-3p can paradoxically promote tumour progression by being transferred to endothelial cells and fibroblasts, where it enhances angiogenesis and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) activation, respectively. Michelle's research aims to deepen our understanding of miR-142-3p's complex role in cervical cancer, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel therapeutic strategies that could improve treatment outcomes.

Cancer treatment has made significant strides, with immunotherapy emerging as a powerful tool to help the body's own immune system fight cancer. Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers worldwide, yet not all patients are suitable candidates for immunotherapy. A major challenge is that some breast tumours, known as “cold tumours", lack sufficient immune cells to mount a strong immune response. Additionally, cancer cells have developed strategies to evade detection, suppress immune activity, and create a protective tumour microenvironment, making it even harder for the immune system to recognize and attack them.

My research focuses on making these tumours more immunogenic-increasing their ability to trigger a stronger immune response and improving their suitability for immunotherapy. One approach involves using specific chemotherapies to modify the tumour environment, attract immune cells, and expose hidden cancer cells to the immune system. I am also investigating the potential of Dodonaea Viscosa, a medicinal plant with traditional healing properties, to enhance immune responses against breast cancer.

By studying how chemotherapy and natural medicines influence the immune landscape of breast cancer, we aim to identify key markers that predict treatment success. Our goal is to develop more effective and personalized treatment strategies, ultimately improving outcomes for breast cancer patients and advancing the field of immunotherapy. Outside of academics, I am a writing consultant, writing workshop facilitator, and a freelance creative.

Cancer presents as a major public health crisis worldwide with colorectal cancer (CRC) being one of the most common cancers among men and women. It is responsible for 9.4% of deaths worldwide and is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a chemotherapeutic agent commonly used in the treatment of various cancers and is the treatment of choice for CRC. Although there are numerous strategies in action to fight CRC, none are capable of completely destroying this disease. The reasoning behind this is the fact that these strategies have limitations which lead to drug resistance and adverse effects on normal cells. Therefore, novel therapeutic options are consistently needed to improve cancer therapy and overcome current challenges. In recent times, the use of natural sources has become a popular concept worldwide. Natural products (NPs) show more favourable behaviour when compared to synthetic molecules, due to their biological properties. Recent studies linked the intake of garlic with a protective effect on a wide range of cancers, concluding that the health benefits of raw garlic are worth looking in to. Therefore, this study will investigate the possible relationship between administering garlic in combination with 5-FU, and the effect thereof in colon cancer patients.

To this day, breast cancer remains a detrimental health burden being the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women worldwide. Currently, conventional chemotherapeutic agents such as Doxorubicin (DXR) and Paclitaxel (PXT) are used to treat breast cancer patients. However, its use is associated with severe adverse effects, cardiotoxicity, and chemoresistance. Therefore, an urgent need for novel treatment regimens which are effective in inducing cancer cell cytotoxicity – paired with little adverse effects – has emerged. The field of phytotherapy has spiked considerable interest as a possible treatment avenue, with the hopes of improving clinical outcomes for cancer patients. Studies has linked Dodonaea viscosa with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effects associated with D. viscosa could prove useful in promoting cell death in various cancers, raising the question whether combining conventional chemotherapies with phytotherapies could increase the efficacy of cancer treatment. Therefore, my project aims to investigate DXR and PXT in combination with D. viscosa and the effects thereof on breast cancer. 

Cancer cells are known for their aggressive nature and ability to spread rapidly around the body. Therefore, it is important to find new and improved ways to try and limit or even prevent this spreading from occurring. Therefore, my research is centred around investigating novel therapies to combat metastasis and chemoresistance in advanced-stage cervical cancer patients, two major challenges commonly faced in oncological treatment. I am specifically studying the chemo-sensitisation potential of the natural product resveratrol, as well as its potential to target CD44, a stem cell marker that promotes metastasis and chemoresistance within the tumour microenvironment. The goal of my work is to improve the quality of life for advanced-stage cervical cancer patients by enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy, particularly carboplatin, through resveratrol's ability to sensitise cervical cancer cells and potentially reduce the dosage required, thereby minimising the toxic side effects of high-dose chemotherapy.

I am currently pursuing my PhD as part of the Cancer Research Group at Stellenbosch University. My research focuses on cervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer amongst women globally. It poses a major public health care burden, especially in low-to-middle income countries such as South Africa. This is largely due to high numbers of HPV infection rates along lack of access to screening and treatment facilities. Additionally, the high incidence of treatment resistance, primarily driven by the emergence of a senescent phenotype in cancer cells, significantly exacerbates the challenges in cervical cancer therapy by making these cells more difficult to kill. My research explores innovative combinations of conventional chemotherapies, such as carboplatin, with senolytic agents to selectively target and eliminate senescent, treatment-resistant cancer cells in both 2D and 3D co-culture models. Ultimately, this work aims to improve patient outcomes, reduce mortality, and alleviate public healthcare costs.

Water contamination is a critical environmental and public health concern, particularly in low-resource settings and regions experiencing rapid industrialization and inadequate wastewater management. In South Africa, poor sewage treatment, acid mine drainage, and agricultural runoff have significantly degraded water quality (Atangana, 2023). Communities in affected areas rely on these contaminated water sources daily, increasing their exposure to harmful pollutants. Chronic exposure to these potential pollutants may contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to impaired ATP production, increased oxidative stress, altered immune cell function and other adverse health outcomes (Wallace, 2012; Picard et al., 2016). However, the cancer risks associated with exposure to the cumulative and synergistic effects of waterborne chemicals remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study will obtain environmental water extracts from sewage and acid mine impacted rivers in South Africa and tested in both ex vivo and in vivo models to assess the pollutant's impact on cancer-related mechanisms. Aiming to investigate the potential impact of waterborne chemicals on cancer initiation and progression, with the goal of informing water safety policies and cancer prevention strategies.

Cervical cancer remains a major health challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to HPV vaccination and screening is limited. While HPV is the primary cause, other factors in the tumour microenvironment also play a role in cancer progression. My research focuses on how cervical cancer cells influence neutrophils, the first responders of the immune system, by inducing a process called NETosis. During NETosis, neutrophils release web-like structures known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which can have both protective and harmful effects. I am particularly interested in how a small RNA molecule, miR-142-3p, secreted by cervical cancer cells, triggers NETosis and how NET components, in turn, affect cancer cell behaviour. The goal of my study is to better understand the molecular interactions between cancer cells and neutrophils, uncovering potential new targets for cervical cancer treatment. By studying these immune interactions, I hope to provide insights that could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for improving patient outcomes.