Overview
Background
I am a clinician scientist and academic leader with research in melanoma cell biology and experimental melanoma therapy. I received my degree in medicine from the University of Heidelberg, Germany (1990-1998). I graduated summa cum laude with a PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Heidelberg (1993-1999) and trained in clinical dermatology at the University of Hamburg, Germany (1999-2003). In 2003 I moved to Philadelphia, PA, to work as a post-doctoral fellow in Meenhard Herlyn’s lab at The Wistar Institute (2003-2007). From there I was recruited as an associate faculty member to the Centenary Institute/University of Sydney (2007-2013). In 2013 I commenced a position as Associate Professor for Cutaneous Oncology at University of Queensland Diamantina Institute (now Frazer Institute) and was promoted to full Professor in April 2016.
Availability
- Professor Nikolas Haass is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctoral Diploma, Ruprecht Karls Universität Heidelberg
Research impacts
Using cutting-edge technology, including real-time cell cycle imaging in 3D culture and in vivo, my team studies the role of dynamic melanoma heterogeneity in melanomagenesis with the goal to develop novel therapeutic approaches by simultaneously targeting different tumor cell subpopulations. My laboratory and our team are in the unique position to combine sophisticated imaging and biosensor approaches with biochemical methods to provide unprecedented insight to the mechanisms of tumor heterogeneity, tumor-stroma interactions and cancer immunology.
My contribution to the field is best evidenced by 97 original papers and invited reviews in leading biomedical journals. Many of our papers have a large impact in the field (>7500 citations in total, and 19 papers cited >100 times each). The papers in Mol Cancer Ther (2006, cited >500x), Cancer Res (2007, cited 265x) and PNAS (2008, cited 1500x) were evaluated by Faculty 1000 Biology as recommended or exceptional, respectively.
Works
Search Professor Nikolas Haass’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Compression-dependent microtubule reinforcement enables cells to navigate confined environments
Ju, Robert J., Falconer, Alistair D., Schmidt, Christanny J., Martinez, Marco A. Enriquez, Dean, Kevin M., Fiolka, Reto P., Sester, David P., Nobis, Max, Timpson, Paul, Lomakin, Alexis J., Danuser, Gaudenz, White, Melanie D., Haass, Nikolas K., Oelz, Dietmar B. and Stehbens, Samantha J. (2024). Compression-dependent microtubule reinforcement enables cells to navigate confined environments. Nature Cell Biology, 26 (9), 1520-1534. doi: 10.1038/s41556-024-01476-x
2024
Conference Publication
Environmentally stressed drug-naive melanoma cell subpopulations share a molecular signature with drug-induced early persister cells
Kangachar, S. Asgharzadeh, Ahmed, F., Al Emran, A., Boyle, G., Spoerri, L., Schaider, H. and Haass, N. K. (2024). Environmentally stressed drug-naive melanoma cell subpopulations share a molecular signature with drug-induced early persister cells. Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) 2024 Meeting, Dallas, TX, United States, 15-18 May 2024. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier.
2024
Conference Publication
Environmentally stressed drug-naïve melanoma cell subpopulations share a molecular signature with drug-induced early persister cells
Kangachar, S. Asgharzadeh, Ahmed, F., Al Emran, A., Boyle, G., Spoerri, L., Schaider, H. and Haass, N.K. (2024). Environmentally stressed drug-naïve melanoma cell subpopulations share a molecular signature with drug-induced early persister cells. Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) 2024 Meeting, Dallas, TX United States, 15-18 May 2024. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2024.06.641
2024
Conference Publication
A calcium influx pathway regulates adaptive melanoma drug tolerance
Guan, Yimeng, Robitaille, Melanie, Torrano, Joachim, Haass, Nikolas, Roberts-Thomson, Sarah, Monteith, Gregory and Schaider, Helmut (2024). A calcium influx pathway regulates adaptive melanoma drug tolerance. ASDR 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, Sydney, NSW Australia, 18-20 July 2024.
2024
Journal Article
VEGF/VEGFR axis and its signaling in melanoma: current knowledge toward therapeutic targeting agents and future perspectives
Malekan, Mohammad, Haass, Nikolas K., Rokni, Ghasem Rahmatpour, Gholizadeh, Nasim, Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad Ali and Kazeminejad, Armaghan (2024). VEGF/VEGFR axis and its signaling in melanoma: current knowledge toward therapeutic targeting agents and future perspectives. Life Sciences, 345 122563, 122563. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122563
2024
Journal Article
Targeting 14-3-3θ-mediated TDP-43 pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia mice
Ke, Yazi D., van Hummel, Annika, Au, Carol, Chan, Gabriella, Lee, Wei Siang, van der Hoven, Julia, Przybyla, Magdalena, Deng, Yuanyuan, Sabale, Miheer, Morey, Nicolle, Bertz, Josefine, Feiten, Astrid, Ippati, Stefania, Stevens, Claire H., Yang, Shu, Gladbach, Amadeus, Haass, Nikolas K., Kril, Jillian J., Blair, Ian P., Delerue, Fabien and Ittner, Lars M. (2024). Targeting 14-3-3θ-mediated TDP-43 pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia mice. Neuron, 112 (8), 1249-1264.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.022
2024
Conference Publication
Uncovering Microtubule-driven Mechanisms of Melanoma Invasion
Ju, R. J., Falconer, A. D., Dean, K. M., Fiolka, R. P., Sester, D. P., Nobis, M., Timpson, P., Lomakin, A. J., Danuser, G., White, M. D., Oelz, D. B., Haass, N. K. and Stehbens, S. J. (2024). Uncovering Microtubule-driven Mechanisms of Melanoma Invasion. 50th Annual Meeting of the Dermatological Research Working Group (ADF), Dusseldorf, Germany, 6-9 March 2024. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2024
Book Chapter
Real-time cell cycle imaging in a 3D cell culture model of melanoma, quantitative analysis, optical clearing, and mathematical modeling
Spoerri, Loredana, Beaumont, Kimberley A., Anfosso, Andrea, Murphy, Ryan J., Browning, Alexander P., Gunasingh, Gency and Haass, Nikolas K. (2024). Real-time cell cycle imaging in a 3D cell culture model of melanoma, quantitative analysis, optical clearing, and mathematical modeling. 3D cell culture: methods and protocols. (pp. 291-310) edited by Zuzana Sumbalova Koledova. New York, NY, United States: Humana. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3674-9_19
2023
Journal Article
Formation and growth of co-culture tumour spheroids: new compartment-based mathematical models and experiments
Murphy, Ryan J., Gunasingh, Gency, Haass, Nikolas K. and Simpson, Matthew J. (2023). Formation and growth of co-culture tumour spheroids: new compartment-based mathematical models and experiments. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 86 (1) 8, 1-434. doi: 10.1007/s11538-023-01229-1
2023
Journal Article
H3K4me3 remodeling induced acquired resistance through O-GlcNAc transferase
Menon, Dinoop Ravindran, Hammerlindl, Heinz, Gimenez, Gregory, Hammerlindl, Sabrina, Zuegner, Elmar, Torrano, Joachim, Bordag, Natalie, Emran, Abdullah Al, Giam, Maybelline, Denil, Simon, Pavelka, Norman, Tan, Aik-Choon, Sturm, Richard A., Haass, Nikolas K., Rancati, Giulia, Herlyn, Meenhard, Magnes, Christoph, Eccles, Michael R., Fujita, Mayumi and Schaider, Helmut (2023). H3K4me3 remodeling induced acquired resistance through O-GlcNAc transferase. Drug Resistance Updates, 71 100993, 100993. doi: 10.1016/j.drup.2023.100993
2023
Journal Article
The MC1R r allele does not increase melanoma risk in MITF E318K carriers
Wallingford, Courtney K., Demeshko, Anastassia, Krishnakripa, Asha Krishnankutty, Smit, Darren J., Duffy, David L., Betz-Stablein, Brigid, Pflugfelder, Annette, Jagirdar, Kasturee, Holland, Elizabeth, Mann, Graham J., Primiero, Clare A., Yanes, Tatiane, Malvehy, Josep, Badenas, Cèlia, Carrera, Cristina, Aguilera, Paula, Olsen, Catherine M., Ward, Sarah V., Haass, Nikolas K., Sturm, Richard A., Puig, Susanna, Whiteman, David C., Law, Matthew H., Cust, Anne E., Potrony, Miriam, Soyer, H. Peter and McInerney-Leo, Aideen M. (2023). The MC1R r allele does not increase melanoma risk in MITF E318K carriers. British Journal of Dermatology, 188 (6), 770-776. doi: 10.1093/bjd/ljad041
2023
Conference Publication
1244 Epigenetic and metabolic vulnerabilities of adaptive drug resistance to targeted therapies in melanoma
Torrano, J., Ravindran-Menon, D., Hammerlindl, H., Hammerlindl, S., Emran, A.A., Bordag, N., Zuegner, E., Haass, N.K., Sadowski, M., Stow, J., Magnes, C., Fujita, M. and Schaider, H. (2023). 1244 Epigenetic and metabolic vulnerabilities of adaptive drug resistance to targeted therapies in melanoma. 1st International Societies for Investigative Dermatology Meeting (ISID 2023), Tokyo, Japan, 10-13 May 2023. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.03.1258
2023
Conference Publication
1255 Modulating phenotypic melanoma heterogeneity and immune cell infiltration
Guan, Y., Griffiths, L., Gunasingh, G., Kumar, J., Spoerri, L. and Haass, N.K. (2023). 1255 Modulating phenotypic melanoma heterogeneity and immune cell infiltration. 1st International Societies for Investigative Dermatology Meeting (ISID 2023), Tokyo, Japan, 10-13 May 2023. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.03.1269
2023
Conference Publication
Bortezomib induces immunogenic cell death in melanoma and enhances immune response in vivo
Daignault, S., Ju, R. J., Spoerri, L., Stehbens, S. J., Hill, D. S., Dolcetti, R. and Haass, N. (2023). Bortezomib induces immunogenic cell death in melanoma and enhances immune response in vivo. Meeting of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Forschung (ADF), Berlin, Germany, 11-14 March 2020. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2023
Conference Publication
MITF-mediated changes of tumour architecture, tensile stress and in extracellular matrix (ECM) control intratumour heterogeneity in melanoma
Spoerri, L., Tonnessen-Murray, C. A., Beaumont, K. A., Hill, D. S., Jurek, R. J., Gunasingh, G., Vanwalleghem, G., Daignault, S., Fane, M. E., Schaider, H., Smith, A., Stehbens, S. J., Weninger, W., Scott, E. E., Gabrielli, B. and Haass, N. (2023). MITF-mediated changes of tumour architecture, tensile stress and in extracellular matrix (ECM) control intratumour heterogeneity in melanoma. Meeting of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Forschung (ADF), Berlin, Germany, 11-14 March 2020. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2023
Conference Publication
Uncovering biomechanically regulated cellular processes of melanoma cell invasion and survival in confined environments
Ju, R. J., Chhabra, Y., Stehbens, S. J. and Haass, N. (2023). Uncovering biomechanically regulated cellular processes of melanoma cell invasion and survival in confined environments. Meeting of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Forschung (ADF), Berlin, Germany, 11-14 March 2020. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2023
Journal Article
Head and neck cancer patient-derived tumouroid cultures: opportunities and challenges
Basnayake, B. W. M. Thilini J., Leo, Paul, Rao, Sudha, Vasani, Sarju, Kenny, Lizbeth, Haass, Nikolas K. and Punyadeera, Chamindie (2023). Head and neck cancer patient-derived tumouroid cultures: opportunities and challenges. British Journal of Cancer, 128 (10), 1807-1818. doi: 10.1038/s41416-023-02167-4
2023
Journal Article
Growth and adaptation mechanisms of tumour spheroids with time-dependent oxygen availability
Murphy, Ryan J., Gunasingh, Gency, Haass, Nikolas K. and Simpson, Matthew J. (2023). Growth and adaptation mechanisms of tumour spheroids with time-dependent oxygen availability. PLoS Computational Biology, 19 (1) e1010833, 1-29. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010833
2023
Other Outputs
Specific T cells infiltration assay
Guan, Yimeng, Gunasingh, Gency and Haass, Nikolas (2023). Specific T cells infiltration assay. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/ede5871
2023
Book Chapter
Melanocytes and melanogenesis
Fernandez-Peñas, Pablo, Jones-Caballero, María and Haass, Nikolas (2023). Melanocytes and melanogenesis. Schachner and Hansen's pediatric dermatology. (pp. 1093-1097) edited by Antonio Torrelo, Angela Hernández-Martín, Elaine C. Siegfried, Anne W. Lucky, Robert A. Silverman, Elena Pope and Karen Wiss. New Delhi, India & London, United Kingdom: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers. doi: 10.5005/jp/books/18588_59
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Nikolas Haass is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Proteomics and transcriptomics analysis of phenotypic heterogeneity in 3D melanoma spheroids
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Associate Professor Helmut Schaider
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of cell cycle phase-dependent immunogenicity of melanoma treated with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Brian Gabrielli
-
Doctor Philosophy
Modulating phenotypic melanoma heterogeneity and lymphocyte infiltration to improve both targeted and immune therapy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Brian Gabrielli, Dr Janin Chandra
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the interplay of MITF, TFEB and CDK4/6 on lysosome activity in melanoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jason Lee
-
Doctor Philosophy
Targeting epigenetic regulation to overcome immunotherapy resistance in cutaneous melanoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani, Dr Abbas Shafiee, Associate Professor Jason Lee
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Doctor Philosophy
Strategies to improve immunotherapy for patients with glioblastoma or breast cancer brain metastases
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jodi Saunus, Associate Professor Fiona Simpson
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing ER stress induced apoptosis and immunogenic cell death in melanoma
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor (MITF)-driven tumour heterogeneity in a 3D melanoma spheroid model in vitro.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Helmut Schaider
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
The regulation of cGAS during cell cycle
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Clarke
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Regulation of Microtubules in 3D by CLASPs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Samantha Stehbens
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Mechanisms and markers of CHK1 inhibitors sensitivity in melanoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Brian Gabrielli
Media
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