Dr Joanna Achinger-Kawecka
Biography
Dr Joanna Achinger-Kawecka is a Group Leader of the 3D Epigenome in Cancer group at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Conjoint Lecturer at St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney. Joanna completed her PhD in 2014 at the University of Tuebingen, Germany, investigating microRNA signatures as predictive biomarkers for breast cancer treatment outcome.
Following her PhD, Joanna joined the Epigenetics Research laboratory of Prof Susan Clark at the Garvan Institute, where she established cutting-edge experimental and computational approaches to study the 3D genome organization. She has been awarded competitive research funding from CCNSW, NBCF and UNSW and established her own research group in 2023.
The main goal of the group’s research is to understand the role of 3D genome architecture in cancer, including its cell-to-cell and temporal variability. For that, they combine and integrate cutting-edge genomics technology, single-cell epigenome profiling, genome editing and pre-clinical models to study the interplay of the 3D genome and epigenome in cancer and how these 3D epigenome changes can be targeted with epigenetic therapy. Beyond the fundamental discoveries, their main goal is to uncover new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for the treatment of metastatic disease.
Dr Joanna Achinger-Kawecka is a Group Leader of the 3D Epigenome in Cancer group at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Conjoint Lecturer at St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney. Joanna completed her PhD in 2014 at the University of Tuebingen, Germany, investigating microRNA signatures as predictive biomarkers for breast cancer treatment outcome.
Following her PhD, Joanna joined the Epigenetics Research laboratory of Prof Susan Clark at the Garvan Institute, where she established cutting-edge experimental and computational approaches to study the 3D genome organization. She has been awarded competitive research funding from CCNSW, NBCF and UNSW and established her own research group in 2023.
The main goal of the group’s research is to understand the role of 3D genome architecture in cancer, including its cell-to-cell and temporal variability. For that, they combine and integrate cutting-edge genomics technology, single-cell epigenome profiling, genome editing and pre-clinical models to study the interplay of the 3D genome and epigenome in cancer and how these 3D epigenome changes can be targeted with epigenetic therapy. Beyond the fundamental discoveries, their main goal is to uncover new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for the treatment of metastatic disease.
Awards and Honours
2022 - UNSW Cancer Theme EMCR Seed Grant
2021 - NBCF Fellowship (2021 - 2024)
2020 - Cancer Council NSW Project Grant (2020 - 2022)
2020 - UNSW Cellular Genomics Futures Institute Seed Grant (2020 - 2021)
2019 - Estee Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign Award
2019 - EMBO Travel Award
2018 - CASS Foundation Travel Grant
2017 - The Ian Potter Foundation Travel Grant
2016 - Best Postdoc Poster Prize, 24th St Vincent’s Campus Research Symposium
2016 - Heliflite Young Explorer Award
2015 - Best Oral Presentation Prize, 23rd St Vincent’s Campus Research Symposium
2011 – FP7 Marie Curie Initial Training Network “Fighting Drug Failure” Fellowship
Education
2011 – MSc (Biotechnology), Warsaw University of Life Sciences - Poland
Fundings
UNSW Cancer Theme Seed Grant (2022 - 2023)
National Breast Cancer Foundation Investigator Initiated Research Scheme Grant and Mavis Robertson Fellowship (2021 - 2024)
Cancer Council NSW Project Grant (2020 - 2022)
UNSW Cellular Genomics Futures Institute Seed Grant (2020 - 2021)
Selected Publications
Du Q, et al., Achinger-Kawecka, J and Clark SJ. (2021) DNA methylation is required for DNA replication timing precision and 3D genome integrity. Cell Reports 36 (12), 109722
Achinger-Kawecka, J., Valdes-Mora, F., Luu, P. et al. (2020) Epigenetic reprogramming at estrogen-receptor binding sites alters 3D chromatin landscape in endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Nature Commun 11, 320 doi:10.1038/s41467-019-14098-x
Khoury, A., Achinger-Kawecka, J., Bert, S.A. et al. (2020) Constitutively bound CTCF sites maintain 3D chromatin architecture and long-range epigenetically regulated domains. Nature Commun 11, 54 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13753-7
Achinger-Kawecka J, Taberlay PC, Clark SJ. (2017) Alterations in Three-Dimensional Organization of the Cancer Genome and Epigenome. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. doi: 10.1101/sqb.2016.81.031013.
Achinger-Kawecka J, Clark SJ. (2017) Disruption of the 3D cancer genome blueprint. Epigenomics, 9 (1): 47-55 doi:10.2217/epi-2016-0111
Taberlay PC*, Achinger-Kawecka J*, et al. (2016) Three-dimensional disorganisation of the cancer genome occurs coincident with long range genetic and epigenetic alterations. Genome Research. 26: 719-731 *Equal first authors
Reiner Hoppe*, Joanna Achinger-Kawecka*, et al. (2014) Increased expression of miR-126 and miR-10a predict prolonged relapse-free time of primary oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer following tamoxifen treatment. European Journal of Cancer doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2013.07.145 *Equal first authors
