In Conversation With Our Young Researchers: Anuja Lipsa

13 October 2023

How can we better understand brain cancer – and more particularly Glioblastoma – to improve the treatment strategies of this devastating disease?

Anuja Lipsa is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Cancer Research at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH). Her research focuses on studying patient-derived models and performing large-scale drug screening, to enable more personalised and effective treatments. The ultimate goal of her work is to improve patient care and increase survival rates for Glioblastoma which is the most aggressive and still incurable brain tumor.

A live biobank of mini-avatars

Starting her studies with a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from Holkar Science College (Central India) followed by a master’s degree in biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology (Southern India), Anuja Lipsa pursued her PhD at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) in Mumbai (Western India), one of the leading cancer research centre in India, before arriving in Luxembourg.

Over the years, Anuja had the opportunity to explore various research topics and areas of biology. She chose to focus her PhD work on the genomic landscape and the genotype-phenotype correlation of various syndromes under colorectal cancer (CRC) in the less studied Indian population. By analysing the genetic makeup and phenotypic characteristics of a population, these studies help identify genetic markers associated with specific traits or diseases. The ultimate goal of her project was to enable improved prognosis, better prediction of disease susceptibility, selection of personalised treatments, and development of targeted therapies.

The NORLUX lab

LIH’s NORLUX laboratory is a multidisciplinary research group that aims to improve the treatment options for malignant brain tumors, with a focus on diffuse gliomas. The team has generated a large ‘live biobank’ of GBM patient-derived organoids and patient-derived orthotropic xenografts, known as patient avatars. These models are developed by taking a small piece of patient tumor tissue and implanting in laboratory animals such as mouse thereby creating a mini “avatar” of the patient’s disease inside the animal which helps us understand the disease better and develop improved therapies.

Anuja’s research focuses on pharmacogenomics profiling of patient avatars and correlating it with patient’s molecular profiles. This unique multi-parametric approach may set the foundation for an early-phase personalised omics-based precision treatment strategies that could eventually be translated to clinic.

Supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), Anuja’s project – titled “Glioma Longitudinal AnalySiS in Luxembourg (GLASS-LUX): Pre-clinical in vivo and ex vivo functional profiling of recurrent glioma” – is part of a large international effort, the multi-institutional GLASS (Glioma Longitudinal AnalySiS) consortium, of which her Principal Investigator, Dr Anna Golebiewska is a member.

More about Cancer Research in Luxembourg

“A deeply personal calling”

Being a cancer survivor herself, research has become not just a professional goal for Anuja Lipsa, but also a profoundly intimate vocation. Having personally experienced the challenges and impact of cancer, Anuja has developed a heightened sense of purpose in pursuing research that can lead to better treatments, early detection methods and improved patient care.

However, like any other field cancer research comes with its own set of challenges including requirement for expertise in various fields such as biology, medicine, computational biology, statistics and engineering. Fostering effective collaboration between these different disciplines can sometimes be challenging. Throughout her research journey, Anuja Lipsa has actively sought out and worked in collaborative environments.

For instance, at LIH, she has worked with a multidisciplinary team and collaborated with different departments within LIH and other research institutes of Luxembourg, learning from and contributing to shared research goals, at the same time realising the different set of priorities for each team.

Indeed, this is one of the reasons why Anuja chose Luxembourg as destination to pursue her research career: the close links and frequent interchange between different research institutes in Luxembourg facilitate smooth scientific exchange. In addition, several opportunities enable researchers to collaborate with experts in different countries across Europe, participate in workshops and conferences.

For example, Anuja already had the opportunity to present her work at the European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) meeting in 2022 and participate in the EATRIS Staff exchange program, conducting a two-week sponsored internship at the University of Zaragoza in 2023 to learn about advanced organ-on-chip technology.

Luxembourg: a perfect combination of nature and work

As well as offering a rich and rewarding research experience that prepares students for successful careers in academia or industry, Luxembourg is “the perfect combination of its natural beauty and the abundant opportunities for personal and professional growth”, according to Anuja.

Moving to Luxembourg was not an easy decision, even more during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has been a rewarding experience for Anuja so far. The country offers a high standard of living with excellent infrastructure and public services: great quality of life, strong focus on safety, cleanliness, efficient public transportation system and environmental sustainability.

Luxembourg offers a stunning natural scenery, making it a haven for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Moreover, the cultural diversity and rich heritage in Luxembourg create a vibrant and inclusive society, which Anuja appreciates as an international resident.

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