Computational and Molecular Prevention

  • DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute
  • Cancer Risk Factors and Prevention
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Prof. Dr. Angela Teresa Filimon Goncalves

Group Leader

Our group aims to understand how mutant clones arise and expand during the stages preceding the development of malignancy. We combine experimental approaches with bioinformatic analyses and statistical modelling to study these early stages, with a long-term view of improving early detection of cancer.

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Our Research

The Computational and Molecular Prevention group uses big data omics to develop a quantitative mechanistic understanding of normal tissue ageing and early carcinogenesis with the ultimate aim of defining novel strategies for prevention and early detection of epithelial cancers.

To date, concepts from established tumours, such as “driver” mutations or tumour expression markers, have not translated into useful biomarkers for prevention, but there are exciting opportunities to revolutionise the approach to pre-invasive disease by applying knowledge of its molecular characteristics. The unique proposition of the group is to perform extensive longitudinal and spatial sampling of normally ageing and pre-malignant tissue biopsies from cancer- sensitive and cancer-resistant animal models and humans, to provide insight into premalignant evolutionary trajectories and predict the occurrence, pace, and prognosis of a future malignancy.

Current Projects

We are developing multiple projects that combine deep DNA and single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics with functional analysis and comparative genomics with the goal of understanding how the perturbation of genetic sequences can lead to the development of tumours. We also develop computational methods for novel technologies.

Comparative genomics of carcinogenesis

Why do some organisms, including many humans, never develop cancer in their lifetime? To address this question, we are studying model organisms with high natural cancer resistance and exceptional longevity such as the naked mole-rat and Ansell’s mole-rat.

How the biological clock ticks in the female reproductive tract

In humans, the female reproductive system plays a significant role in shaping life- and health- span. In our group we functionally model homeostasis and dysregulation of the female reproductive tract over ageing and upon hormonal perturbation in mouse models and in human, using high-throughput sequencing of single-cell experiments.

Digital prevention

The digital prevention group within the National Cancer Prevention Center (NCPC) aims to expand our activities in prevention through the development of publicly available personalised cancer risk calculators. The group has close links with the DKFZ epidemiology units and straddles the subjects of public health, science/risk communication and software engineering.

Granulosa cell transcription is similarly impacted by superovulation and aging and predicts early embryonic trajectories

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Granulosa cell transcription is similarly impacted by superovulation and aging and predicts early embryonic trajectories

Future Outlook

The analysis of longitudinally acquired non-cancerous tissue proffers an effective means for studying the evolution of somatic mutations. Our research uses human gynaecological tissue as a model system because of its ease of acquisition from healthy individuals over time and because of its medical importance. In interdisciplinary research projects with cancer biologists and clinicians, we aim to analyse high-depth DNA and single-cell RNA sequencing data from tissue samples to achieve a quantitative understanding of somatic evolution.

Team

  • A woman with medium-length brown hair stands confidently with her arms crossed. She is wearing a black shirt with a polka dot pattern and is facing the camera, conveying a professional demeanor against a light background.

    Prof. Dr. Angela Teresa Filimon Goncalves

    Group Leader

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    Felipe Briones Valdivieso

    Scientific Coordinator

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    Francesca Coraggio

    Lab Manager

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    Emiliana Funaro

    Team Assistant

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    Dr. Leo Carl Förster

    Bioinformatician

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    Perrine Lacour

    PhD Student

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    Nina Schneider

    Lab Manager

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    Friederike Stroisch

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    Dr. Ivana Winkler

    PostDoc

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Friends from other Labs

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    Daria Komkova

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    Dr. Veronica Busa

    PostDoc

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Selected Publications

2025 - Nat Commun 16, 3658

Daugelaite K., Lacour P., Winkler I., Koch M., Schneider A., Schneider N., Coraggio F., Tolkachov A., Nguyen X.P., Vilkaite A., Rehnitz J., Odom D.T., Goncalves A. 

2024 - eLife 99558.1.sa2

Schwalie, P.C., Bafligil C., Russeil J., Ratter S., Biocanin M., Zachara M., Canny G., Aasna E., Deplancke B., Goncalves A.

2024 - Cell. Volume 187, Issue 4, 981 - 998.e25.

Winkler I, Tolkachov A., Lammers F., Lacour P., Daugelaite K., Schneider N., Koch M., Panten J., Grünschläger F., Poth T., Ávila B.M., Schneider A., Haas S., Odom D.T. and Goncalves A. 

2023 - Cell Volume 186, Issue 22, Pages 4729-4733.

Winkler, I. and Goncalves A. 

2023 - bioRxiv.

Behm M., Baeza-Centurion P., Penso-Dolfin L., Botey-Bataller F., Hirschmüller N., Delaunay S., Koch M.L., Del Prete S., Sohn D., Reifenberg C., Schopp M., Lammers F., Sole-Boldo L., Dutton J., Begall S., Khaled W.T., St. John Smith E., Odom D.T., Frye M., Goncalves A. 

2021 - Bioinformatics, btab226.

Schefzik R., Flesch J., Goncalves A. 

2018 - Nature. 546, 370-375.

Roser Vento-Tormo, Mirjana Efremova, Rachel A. Botting, Margherita Y. Turco, Miquel Vento-Tormo, Kerstin B. Meyer, Jong-Eun Park, Emily Stephenson, Krzysztof Polański, Angela Goncalves, Lucy Gardner, Staffan Holmqvist, Johan Henriksson, Angela Zou, Andrew M. Sharkey, Ben Millar, Barbara Innes, Laura Wood, Anna Wilbrey-Clark, Rebecca P. Payne, Martin A. Ivarsson, Steve Lisgo, Andrew Filby, David H. Rowitch, Judith N. Bulmer, Gavin J. Wright, Michael J. T. Stubbington, Muzlifah Haniffa, Ashley Moffett & Sarah A. Teichmann

Get in touch with us

A woman with medium-length brown hair stands confidently with her arms crossed. She is wearing a black shirt with a polka dot pattern and is facing the camera, conveying a professional demeanor against a light background.

Prof. Dr. Angela Teresa Filimon Goncalves

Group Leader
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