Marianna Trakala
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center at Houston
Department of Genetics
My laboratory investigates how chromosomal instability (CIN) and aneuploidy—hallmarks of cancer—impact tissue homeostasis, tumor development, and immune surveillance. We aim to understand the physiological responses to chromosome missegregation in vivo and uncover how aneuploidy shapes the tumor microenvironment and the immunopeptidome. Using mouse models, single-cell sequencing, and advanced imaging, we study how karyotypic alterations influence cell fate decisions, including immune recognition and clearance of aneuploid cells. We are particularly interested in dissecting how oncogenic transformation modulates these responses to promote cancer progression.
Key research areas in the lab include cancer biology, tumor immunology, cell cycle regulation, and genome stability. Students joining the lab will gain experience with in vivo models, immunofluorescence microscopy, CRISPR-based genome editing, transcriptomic and karyotypic profiling at single-cell resolution, and tumor modeling. For tutorial students, potential projects might include investigating immune cell recruitment in response to aneuploid cells, identifying stress-response pathways triggered by CIN, or developing new tools to visualize chromosomal instability in tissues. These projects provide opportunities to learn experimental design, data analysis, and critical thinking in the context of mechanistic cancer research.
We welcome students who are curious, motivated, and excited to explore how basic mechanisms of genome maintenance intersect with cancer and immunology.
Education & Training
PhD - Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, 2014