Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal
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Univ.-Prof.in Mag.a Dr.in rer.nat. Ellen Heitzer
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Human Genetics
- Head of Research Unit
- FE Liquid biopsies for personalized medicine in cancer
- EMail: ellen.heitzer(at)medunigraz.at
- Tel: +43/316/385/73819
- MEDonline-Visitenkarte
- Externe ID's
- ORCiD: 0000-0002-8815-7859
Fields of expertise
- Ellen Heitzer is one of the leading scientists in Austria dealing with liquid biopsies. She is heading the Research Unit for Liquid biopsies for personalized medicine in cancer and in 2017 she was granted a Christian Doppler Laboratory for Liquid biopsies in the context of early cancer detection. The Liquid Biopsy holds great promise for precision and personalized medicine and in particular, ctDNA has been demonstrated to be a valuable tool to detect cancer recurrence, to predict tumor burden and treatment response, as well as to identify resistance mechanisms and the emergence of novel actionable targets has been proven in numerous studies summarized monitor recurrence, resistance, metastasis and minimal residual disease. The research group at the D&F Institute of Human Genetics has extensive experience in the analysis of plasma DNA. They have established a plethora of plasma DNA based approaches to study genome-wide copy number alterations and high-sensitivity approaches to detect specific mutations occurring at low allele frequencies. In this highly competitive field, the group is one of the most renowned in the field. Ellen Heitzer´s expertise has been recognized internationally, which is reflected by the invitations to international congresses or reviews and book chapters in international journals. Moreover, she is involved in the continuous development and implementation of molecular genetics and next generation sequencing methods. The recent acquisition of a NovaSeq as part of the Austrian Network for Medical Genome Analysis (MedGenA) funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) opens up completely new possibilities for characterizing the genomic and cellular profiles of patients and thus new options and applications for research and diagnostics.
Statistik Austria, science classification
- Cancer research - (301904)
Scientific Expertise
- Cancer biomarker
- Cell free circulating DNA
- Tumor heterogeneity
- Hereditary cancer syndroms
- Next generation sequenicing
- Circulating Tumor Cells
Curr. Vitae
| 2022 | Full professor for Liquid Biopsies |
| 2016 -2022 | Associate Professor |
| 2015 | European registered Clinical Laboratory Geneticist |
| 2014 | Assistant Professor |
| 2014 | Fachhumangenetikerin |
| 2014 | Habilitation |
| 2013 | Research stay at the Wellcome Trust Centre of Human Genetics, University of Oxford, UK |
| 2012 | Wellcome Trust Advanced Course Exome Sequencing (9 days), Hinxton, UK |
| 2011 | Course in Next Generation Sequencing for rare and common genetic disorders (21 CME), Bologna, Italy |
| 2010 | Postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Human Genetics, Medical University of Graz |
| 2008 | Course Design, analysis and interpretation of clinical studies (21h), AKH Wien |
| 2008 | Course Project management (100h), Uni for Life, Graz |
| 2008 -2010 | Postdoctoral fellow and project manager (EU-project EPCRC, FP6) at the Department of Oncology, Medical University of Graz |
| 2007 -2008 | Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz |
| 2007 | Graduation Dr. rer. nat. (PhD) |
| 2003 -2007 | PhD-student at the Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz |
| 2003 | Graduation Mag. rer. nat. |
| 1996 -2003 | Study of Microbiology at the Karl Franzens University Graz |
Awards
| 2024 | International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) Research Award |
| 2019 | Roche Science Award Austria |
| 2016 | Posterpreis beim 10th International Symposium of Minimal Residual Cancer (Senior author) |
| 2015 | MUG Forscherin des Jahres 2015 |
| 2014 | Biomed Central Cancer category Research Award |
| 2014 | Förderpreis der Steierischen Krebshilfe |
| 2014 | BioMed Central Overall Research Award |
| 2013 | EMBO Short Time Fellowship ASTF No 65 - 2013 |
| 2013 | Förderungspreis des Landes Steiermark 2013 |
| 2012 | Hans Georg Kress Preis for Biomarkers as indicators for pain perception and treatment response |
| 2006 | Travel Grant zur Teilnahme am EDSR-Kongress (European Society for Dermatological Research) in Paris |
| 2005 | Travel Grant zur Teilnahme am ESP-Kongress (The European Society for Photobiology)in Aix-le-Bain, FR |
| 2005 | DOC fForte Stipendium der ÖAW |
Appointments/Memberships in Professional Societies
| 2024 -2025 | Wissenschaftlicher Ausschuss für Genanalyse (WAG) in der Gentechnikkommission (GTK) Ersatzmitglied |
| 2024 -2025 | International Society of Liquid Biopsy ISLB Quality committee member |
| 2020 -2025 | European Liquid Biopsy Society Steering committee member, Working group leader |
| 2019 -2025 | Österreichische Gesellschaft für Humangenetik Vorstandsmitglied |
| 2019 -2025 | American Association for Cancer Research Mitglied |
| 2018 -2025 | Strategiekomittee Diagnostik- und Forschungszentrum für Molekulare BioMedizin Strategy Committee Member |
| 2017 -2025 | Curriculum Kommision der PhD-Faculty “Molecular Medicine” Mitglied |
| 2011 -2025 | European Society for Human Genetics Mitgliedschaft |
| 2011 -2025 | Österreichische Gesellschaft für Humangenetik Mitgliedschaft |
| 2012 -2022 | American Society for Human Genetics Mitgliedschaft |
| 2016 -2021 | Board Member der Europäischen Gesellschaft für Humangenetik The Board acts as the governing body of the Society. It makes all the decisions, and assumes responsibility for all matters except those specifically excluded by the Statutes. It is accountable to the membership. |
| 2014 -2018 | European Association for Cancer Research Mitglied |
Reviewer for scientific journals
Reviewer/Expert funding organizations
| 2020 -2020 | Friends Of Rosie Children Cancer Research Fund - United Kingdom |
| 2018 -2020 | Dutch Cancer Society - Netherlands |
| 2019 -2019 | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft ( DFG )- Sonderforschungsbereich - Germany |
| 2013 -2018 | Dutch Digestive Foundation - Netherlands |
| 2017 -2017 | Ministry of Science and Technology - Israel |
| 2015 -2015 | Flemish cancer society - Belgium |
| 2015 -2015 | Prostate Cancer UK - United Kingdom |
| 2015 -2015 | Wellcome Trust - United Kingdom |
| 2015 -2015 | Czech Health Research Council - Czech Republic |
Organizer of scientific conferences, Chairs
| 2025 | 14th International Symposium on Circulating Nucleic Acids in Plasma and Serum (CNAPS) Mitglied Organisationskomitee |
| 2024 | 13th International Symposium on Circulating Nucleic Acids in Plasma and Serum (CNAPS) Organisator |
| 2024 | EACR Liquid Biopsies 2024
EACR Liquid Biopsies 2024 Mitglied Organisationskomitee |