Joni Merisaari researched cellular vulnerabilities of glioblastoma. His thesis work was done under the supervision of Professor Jukka Westermarck in the Cancer Cell Signaling lab. The thesis strengthened the important role of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in glioblastoma. The work discovered a novel combination for the treatment of glioblastoma. A simultaneous inhibition of Akt and PDK signaling pathways together with PP2A reactivation was discovered to significantly hinder glioblastoma growth in cell and animal models. Furthermore, the thesis work identified a specific ability of nanoparticles to induce cell death in glioblastoma stem cells. This was hypothesized to happen through a phenomenon called “proton-sponge” effect.

MSc Joni Merisaari from Westermarck Lab defends his dissertation in pathology titled ”Cellular Vulnerabilities of Glioblastoma” on 15.10.2021 at 12.00 – 16.00. Participate remotely.

Opponent: Professor Tapio Visakorpi, University of Tampere

Custos: Professor Jukka Westermarck, University of Turku

Merisaari’s dissertation received quite a lot of attention in Finnish media:

Väitöstutkimuksessa tarkasteltu lääke hidasti aivosyöpäsolujen kasvua

Lääkekokeilu tehosi aggressiiviseen aivosyöpään – osoittautui tehokkaaksi hoidoksi

Positiv nyhet inom cancerforskningen: Nytt läkemedel bromsar hjärncancerceller och gör cellgifts- och strålbehandlingen effektivare (Swedish)

Kokeellinen lääkitys hidasti aivosyöpäsolujen kasvua