I trained both as a scientist and as a physician and, throughout my career, I have focused on the treatment and biology of ovarian cancer (OvCa). My Ph.D. thesis was on the role of proteases in ovarian cancer and my clinical fellowship involved a special emphasis on the treatment of patients with this disease. As a surgeon and clinician, I am familiar with the presentation of ovarian cancer in patients, and experience the incredible obstacles we face in its treatment. In the laboratory, I have built the research infrastructure necessary for effective ovarian cancer research.
The Lengyel lab has elucidated, at least in part, the first critical steps of ovarian cancer metastasis by paying close attention to the host microenvironment. We have collected the 25 most commonly used ovarian cancer cell lines from all over the world, including those which are chemotherapy resistant. We have established several mouse models for OvCa, and using a genetic mouse model (K-rasG12D/+/Pten-/- -- established by Dr. Tyler Jacks), a syngeneic orthotopic mouse model using mouse OvCa cells (ID8 -- established by K. Roby), and several xenograft ip models using primary and cultured human OvCa cells. I have also established a prospective OvCa tissue bank and, together with 2 gynecologic pathologists, we have assembled 13 tissue arrays including normal tissue, borderline tumor and primary tumor, & corresponding metastasis. As a surgeon, the main focus of my practice is patients with OvCa; therefore, I will be able to enroll a substantial number of patients on the proposed clinical trial and have the infrastructure in place to collect the tissue required for the translational studies.
My clinical experience treating ovarian cancer, together with my laboratory, which focuses on OvCa biology, gives me a unique opportunity and obligation to find new treatments that can benefit patients with ovarian cancer.
University of Munich
Munich
M.D. - M.D.
1992
A cell atlas of the human fallopian tube throughout the menstrual cycle and menopause.
A cell atlas of the human fallopian tube throughout the menstrual cycle and menopause. Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 03; 16(1):372.
PMID: 39753552
Neutrophil extracellular traps promote pre-metastatic niche formation in the omentum by expanding innate-like B cells that express IL-10.
Neutrophil extracellular traps promote pre-metastatic niche formation in the omentum by expanding innate-like B cells that express IL-10. Cancer Cell. 2025 Jan 13; 43(1):69-85.e11.
PMID: 39753138
Neutrophil extracellular traps promote pre-metastatic niche formation in the omentum by expanding innate-like B cells that express IL-10.
Neutrophil extracellular traps promote pre-metastatic niche formation in the omentum by expanding innate-like B cells that express IL-10. Cancer Cell. 2024 Dec 30.
PMID: 39753138
Systematic treatment and management of postpartum hypertension using remote patient monitoring.
Systematic treatment and management of postpartum hypertension using remote patient monitoring. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2024 Dec 21; 39:101180.
PMID: 39709789
Comparative transcriptomic, epigenomic and immunological analyses identify drivers of disparity in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
Comparative transcriptomic, epigenomic and immunological analyses identify drivers of disparity in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. NPJ Genom Med. 2024 Dec 02; 9(1):64.
PMID: 39622796
Molecular changes driving low-grade serous ovarian cancer and implications for treatment.
Molecular changes driving low-grade serous ovarian cancer and implications for treatment. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2024 Oct 07; 34(10):1630-1638.
PMID: 38950921
AI-based automated segmentation for ovarian/adnexal masses and their internal components on ultrasound imaging.
AI-based automated segmentation for ovarian/adnexal masses and their internal components on ultrasound imaging. J Med Imaging (Bellingham). 2024 Jul; 11(4):044505.
PMID: 39114540
Tumor microenvironment-induced FOXM1 regulates ovarian cancer stemness.
Tumor microenvironment-induced FOXM1 regulates ovarian cancer stemness. Cell Death Dis. 2024 May 28; 15(5):370.
PMID: 38806454
5-Hydroxymethylcytosine signals in serum are a predictor of chemoresistance in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
5-Hydroxymethylcytosine signals in serum are a predictor of chemoresistance in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2024 03; 182:82-90.
PMID: 38262243
Spatial proteo-transcriptomic profiling reveals the molecular landscape of borderline ovarian tumors and their invasive progression.
Spatial proteo-transcriptomic profiling reveals the molecular landscape of borderline ovarian tumors and their invasive progression. medRxiv. 2023 Nov 13.
PMID: 38014221