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Hire Dr. Monika L.

Sweden

USD 80 /hr

PhD Scientist | Oncology & Cardiovascular

Profile Summary

I am a Ph.D. biomedical scientist and independent scientific consultant with over 5 years of experience in oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular diseases, translational research, preclinical strategy, and assay development, currently based at Karolinska Institutet. I work with biotech startups, research teams and innovators to design decision-oriented preclinical studies and translate complex biological questions into clear, actionable strategies. My expertise spans oncology and cardiovascular biology, with a strong focus on targeted therapies, mechanism-of-action studies and resistance modelling. During my doctoral studies, my research focused on targeted therapeutic strategies in medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, and head & neck cancer, where I investigated key oncogenic signaling pathways (PI3K/AKT, ALK, MEK, FGFR and CDK4/6) repurposing FDA-approved inhibitors, combination strategies and their potential integration into standard treatment regimens. I am currently expanding my expertise into cardiovascular biology, investigating the role of AMOTL2 in vascular mechanotransduction and arterial remodeling, with a focus on endothelial and smooth muscle cell regulation in coronary artery disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm. A central aspect of my research is the use of advanced, disease-relevant experimental systems, including both 2D cell cultures and 3D models such as tumor spheroids, patient-derived tumoroids and stem cell–based systems. I have experience working with a wide range of cancer models, including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, ovarian, and head and neck cancers, as well as primary cell cultures, smooth muscle cells and neural stem cells. I bring deep technical expertise in assay development and experimental design, with extensive experience in designing and executing target engagement studies (including CETSA), drug treatment assays and functional readouts (viability, proliferation, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and invasion). My molecular and cellular toolkit includes RT-qPCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry (FACS), immunohistochemistry and advanced imaging-based analysis. In addition, I have hands-on experience in genetic and molecular workflows, including bacterial transformation, plasmid purification, viral vector production and transduction. I am also experienced in the design and execution of in vivo studies using murine and zebrafish models, supporting the translation of in vitro findings into physiologically relevant systems. Alongside hands-on research, I have co-authored 12+ peer-reviewed publications (7 as first author), secured competitive research funding, supervised younger researchers and led collaborative projects across multidisciplinary teams. This allows me to operate not only as an experimental scientist, but as a strategic partner who understands how to move research forward efficiently and with clarity.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ☆ Biochemistry
• ☆ Immunoassay
• ☆ Biochemical Assays
• ☆ Structural Biology
• ☆ Apoptosis
• ☆ Enzyme Activity Assays
• ☆ Binding Assays
• ☆ Molecular Biology
• ☆ Biomarkers
• ☆ Plasmid DNA
• ☆ DNA Damage & Repair
• ☆ Cell Biology
• ☆ Cell-Based Assays
• ☆ Cell Signaling Pathways
• ☆ Stem Cell Research
• ☆ Neuroscience
• ☆ Neuropharmacology
• ☆ Molecular Neuroscience
• ☆ Neurobiology
• ☆ Biotechnology & Bioengineering
• ☆ Biomedical Engineering
• ☆ Microscopy
• ☆ Light Microscopy
• ☆ Fluorescence Microscopy
• ☆ Cell Culture
• ☆ Primary Cells
• ☆ Cell Line Engineering
• ☆ Cell Surface Receptors
• ☆ 3D Cell Culture
• ☆ Immunohistochemistry
• ☆ Drug Discovery
• ☆ High Throughput Screening (HTS)
• ☆ Drug Target Identification
• ☆ Hit-to-Lead & Lead Optimization
• ☆ Phenotypic Assays
• ☆ Drug Development
• ☆ Drug-Drug Interactions
• ☆ Preclinical Research
• ☆ Preclinical Pharmacology
• ☆ Drug Efficacy Testing
• ☆ In vitro Diagnostics
• ☆ Biomarker Analysis
• ☆ Human Biology
• ☆ Pediatric Medicine
• ☆ Oncology
• ☆ Chemotherapy
• ☆ Precision Medicine
• ☆ Pediatric Oncology
• ☆ Cardiovascular Disease
• ☆ Vascular Medicine
• ☆ Gene Therapy
• ☆ Cancer Research
• ☆ Cancer Biology
• ☆ Neuro-Oncology
• ☆ Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Product Development

Writing Medical Writing, Technical Writing, General Proofreading & Editing

Research Meta-Research, Feasibility Study, Fact Checking, Gap Analysis, Gray Literature Search, Scientific and Technical Research, Systematic Literature Review

Consulting Scientific and Technical Consulting

Data & AI Statistical Analysis, Image Analysis, Data Visualization, Data Insights

Product Development Product Evaluation, Product Validation, Quality Assurance & Control (QA/QC)

Work Experience

Postdoctoral researcher in cardiovascular diseases

Karolinska Institutet

February 2026 - Present

PhD scientist in oncology

Karolinska Institutet

June 2022 - January 2026

Research assistant

Karolinska Institutet

January 2020 - January 2022

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Medical Science (Oncology-Pathology)

Karolinska Institutet

October 2022 - October 2025

Master of Medical Science with a Major in Biomedicine (Oncology-Pathology)

Karolinska Institutet

August 2020 - June 2022

Bachelor of Medical Science with a Major in Biomedicine (Oncology-Pathology)

Karolinska Institutet

August 2017 - June 2020

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Lukoseviciute M, Birgersson M, Ceriani P, Wilhelm M, Kostopoulou ON (2026). Dual PI3K/AKT and CDK4/6 inhibition reveals selective sensitivity in an SHH medulloblastoma stem cell model . Molecular oncology.

Lukoseviciute M, Need E, Birgersson M, Dalianis T, Kostopoulou ON (2024). Enhancing targeted therapy by combining PI3K and AKT inhibitors with or without cisplatin or vincristine in medulloblastoma cell lines in vitro . Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie.

Monika Lukoseviciute, Emma Need, Stefan Holzhauser, Tina Dalianis, Ourania N. Kostopoulou (2024). Combined targeted therapy with PI3K and CDK4/6, or FGFR inhibitors show synergistic effects in a neuroblastoma spheroid culture model . Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.

Lukoceviciute M, Zupancic M, Kostopoulou ON, Holzhauser S, Dalianis T (2024). Curcumin Alone and Combined With PI3K Inhibitors Elicits Positive Effects on Oropharyngeal Cancer Cell Lines Regardless of HPV Status . Anticancer research.

Zupancic M, Kostopoulou ON, Holzhauser S, Lukoseviciute M, Jylhä C, Marklund L, Näsman A, Sivars L, Dalianis T (2024). Human papillomavirus (HPV) load is higher in HPVDNA/p16 positive than in HPVDNA positive/p16 negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma but does not differ significantly between various subsites or correlate to survival . Oral oncology.

Dalianis T, Lukoseviciute M, Holzhauser S, Kostopoulou ON (2023). New Approaches Towards Targeted Therapy for Childhood Neuroblastoma . Anticancer research.

Lukoseviciute M, Holzhauser S, Pappa E, Mandal T, Dalianis T, Kostopoulou ON (2023). Efficacy of combined targeted therapy with PI3K and CDK4/6 or PARP and WEE1 inhibitors in neuroblastoma cell lines . Oncology reports.

Lukoseviciute M, Theodosopoulou A, Holzhauser S, Dalianis T, Kostopoulou ON (2023). Combination of PARP and WEE1 inhibitors <i>in vitro</i>: Potential for use in the treatment of SHH medulloblastoma . Oncology reports.

Byskata K, Lukoseviciute M, Tuti F, Zupancic M, Kostopoulou ON, Holzhauser S, Dalianis T (2022). Targeted Therapy with PI3K, PARP, and WEE1 Inhibitors and Radiotherapy in HPV Positive and Negative Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines Reveals Synergy while Effects with APR-246 Are Limited . Cancers.

Kostopoulou ON, Zupancic M, Pont M, Papin E, Lukoseviciute M, Mikelarena BA, Holzhauser S, Dalianis T (2022). Targeted Therapy of HPV Positive and Negative Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines Reveals Synergy between CDK4/6, PI3K and Sometimes FGFR Inhibitors, but Rarely between PARP and WEE1 Inhibitors . Viruses.

Lukoseviciute M, Maier H, Poulou-Sidiropoulou E, Rosendahl E, Holzhauser S, Dalianis T, Kostopoulou ON (2021). Targeting PI3K, FGFR, CDK4/6 Signaling Pathways Together With Cytostatics and Radiotherapy in Two Medulloblastoma Cell Lines . Frontiers in oncology.

Holzhauser S, Lukoseviciute M, Papachristofi C, Vasilopoulou C, Herold N, Wickstr&#246;m M, Kostopoulou ON, Dalianis T (2021). Effects of PI3K and FGFR inhibitors alone and in combination, and with/without cytostatics in childhood neuroblastoma cell lines . International journal of oncology.

Holzhauser S, Lukoseviciute M, Andonova T, Ursu RG, Dalianis T, Wickstr&#246;m M, Kostopoulou ON (2020). Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) and Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) Signaling Pathways in Medulloblastoma Cell Lines . Anticancer research.