Gabi Dachs
{{Short description|New Zealand cancer researcher}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2024}}
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| thesis1_title = The effect of metronidazole on Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli
| thesis1_url = http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18281
| thesis1_year = 1992
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Gabriele Ursula Dachs is a New Zealand academic, and is a full professor at the University of Otago, specialising in the how cancer cells respond to hypoxia, and developing novel treatments for cancer.
Early life and education
Dachs was born and grew up in Namibia. Dachs completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, followed by a PhD titled The effect of metronidazole on Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli at the same institution.{{Cite thesis |title=The effect of metronidazole on Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli |last=Dachs |first=Gabriele Ursula |type=PhD thesis |publisher= |url=http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18281 |date=1992|hdl=11427/18281 }}{{Cite web |last=Otago |first=University of |date=2023-03-15 |title=Inaugural Professorial Lecture – Professor Gabi Dachs |url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/events/inaugural-professorial-lecture-professor-gabi-dachs |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.otago.ac.nz |language=en}}
Academic career
After postdoctoral research at MRC Harwell in the UK, Dachs joined the Gray Cancer Institute in London as a senior scientist. She then moved to New Zealand, where she was appointed to the faculty of the Department of Pathology at the University of Otago, rising to research associate professor in 2015 and then full professor in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Otago |first=University of |date=2015-01-29 |title=Otago announces professorial promotions |url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago-announces-professorial-promotions |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=www.otago.ac.nz |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=University of Otago |first=Wellington |date=2022-12-16 |title=Otago announces 39 new professors |url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/otago-announces-39-new-professors |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=www.otago.ac.nz |language=en}}
Dachs works in the Mackenzie Cancer Research Group and is based at Otago's Christchurch campus.{{Cite web |author=Mackenzie Cancer Research Group |date=2021-08-05 |title=About the Mackenzie Cancer Research Group |url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/mackenzie-cancer/about |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.otago.ac.nz |language=en}}{{Cite web |author=Mackenzie Cancer Research Group |date=2023-02-15 |title=Professor Gabi Dachs |url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/mackenzie-cancer/staff/professor-gabi-dachs |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.otago.ac.nz |language=en}} She is interested in the molecular mechanisms that mean cancers are hard to treat, and how to develop new treatments. Dachs has explored how cancer cells respond to hypoxia (low oxygen levels), and how the hypoxic pathway is affected by vitamin C.{{Cite web |title=Putting Science Between the Hype and Reality about Vitamin C and Cancer |url=https://www.cancerresearchtrustnz.org.nz/stories/article/putting-science-between-the-hype-and-reality-about-vitamin-c-and-cancer |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.cancerresearchtrustnz.org.nz}}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-19 |title=Vitamin C infusions retained by cancerous tumours, new study shows |url=https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/vitamin-c-infusions-retained-cancerous-tumours-new-study-shows |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=New Zealand Doctor |language=en}} Dachs led research that showed that cancer cells from colon tumours removed during surgery retained vitamin C if the patient had received a very high dose infusion of vitamin C before their surgery. Previous work by her group had found that vitamin C might be an effective anticancer agent, but as solid tumours have 'disorganised' blood flow, it was not clear if vitamin C would reach or be retained in tumour cells. Dachs is also interested in why obese cancer patients do less well in treatment, and whether molecular causes for this can be identified. She is also looking at how to improve cancer treatment using prodrugs and gene therapy. Her research spans cell culture, rodent models, and clinical trials in cancer patients.
Honours and awards
Selected works
{{scholia}}
- {{CiteQ|Q34097892}}
- {{CiteQ|Q47801291}}
- {{CiteQ|Q36061340}}
- {{CiteQ|Q43008648}}
- {{CiteQ|Q40167157}}
- {{CiteQ|Q37634940|doi-access=free}}
- {{CiteQ|Q59617798}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201855689 The Science Of... Vitamin C], Gabi Dachs on Radio New Zealand in 2017
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q80KdigwxSw Scatterlings: Cancer research across continents and time], Inaugural professorial lecture by Gabi Dachs, 4 May 2023, via YouTube
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Category:New Zealand academics
Category:New Zealand women academics