Benjamin Werner
@benjaminwerner.bsky.social
We crawl by inches.
Group Leader at Barts Cancer Institute in London. Working on somatic evolution, ecDNA, clonal haematopoiesis, gITH, clonal evolution…
https://www.bartscancer.london/staff/dr-benjamin-werner/
Contact: b.werner@qmul.ac.uk
Group Leader at Barts Cancer Institute in London. Working on somatic evolution, ecDNA, clonal haematopoiesis, gITH, clonal evolution…
https://www.bartscancer.london/staff/dr-benjamin-werner/
Contact: b.werner@qmul.ac.uk
This variant is typically intermixed with many wildtype EGFR ecDNAs that hitchhike on strongly positively selected variants and therefore maintaining a mixed state if ecDNA wildtype and variants in the tumour population
September 8, 2025 at 2:28 PM
This variant is typically intermixed with many wildtype EGFR ecDNAs that hitchhike on strongly positively selected variants and therefore maintaining a mixed state if ecDNA wildtype and variants in the tumour population
How to explain these observations?
Computational modelling suggests the following scenario:
First ecDNA forms and accumulates in pre-cancerous cells. Later one ecDNA copy acquires the variant and possibly starts the clonal expansion
Computational modelling suggests the following scenario:
First ecDNA forms and accumulates in pre-cancerous cells. Later one ecDNA copy acquires the variant and possibly starts the clonal expansion
September 8, 2025 at 2:26 PM
How to explain these observations?
Computational modelling suggests the following scenario:
First ecDNA forms and accumulates in pre-cancerous cells. Later one ecDNA copy acquires the variant and possibly starts the clonal expansion
Computational modelling suggests the following scenario:
First ecDNA forms and accumulates in pre-cancerous cells. Later one ecDNA copy acquires the variant and possibly starts the clonal expansion
We then observed a few other EGFR variants that reach high but subclonal ecDNA frequencies.
September 8, 2025 at 2:23 PM
We then observed a few other EGFR variants that reach high but subclonal ecDNA frequencies.
EGFR ecDNA showed strongest positive selection.
But interestingly we found a few EGFR variants exclusively amplified on ecDNA (EGFRvIII and others) that seem under strong positive selection but were always ecDNA subclonal
But interestingly we found a few EGFR variants exclusively amplified on ecDNA (EGFRvIII and others) that seem under strong positive selection but were always ecDNA subclonal
September 8, 2025 at 2:22 PM
EGFR ecDNA showed strongest positive selection.
But interestingly we found a few EGFR variants exclusively amplified on ecDNA (EGFRvIII and others) that seem under strong positive selection but were always ecDNA subclonal
But interestingly we found a few EGFR variants exclusively amplified on ecDNA (EGFRvIII and others) that seem under strong positive selection but were always ecDNA subclonal
Interestingly, we found differences depending on which oncogene is amplified on ecDNA.
September 8, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Interestingly, we found differences depending on which oncogene is amplified on ecDNA.
Combining simulations and data in a Bayesian inference framework then allows to estimate the evolutionary parameters (selection, spatial constraints and initial ecDNA copy number) that describe the data best
September 8, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Combining simulations and data in a Bayesian inference framework then allows to estimate the evolutionary parameters (selection, spatial constraints and initial ecDNA copy number) that describe the data best
We then developed a spatial framework to simulate ecDNA evolution in silico
September 8, 2025 at 2:16 PM
We then developed a spatial framework to simulate ecDNA evolution in silico
More importantly, we could measure spatially resolved ecDNA copy number distributions in 2 to 3 samples per GBM.
September 8, 2025 at 2:15 PM
More importantly, we could measure spatially resolved ecDNA copy number distributions in 2 to 3 samples per GBM.
First as we anticipated, we found the typical diverse ecDNA landscape in GBMs
September 8, 2025 at 2:14 PM
First as we anticipated, we found the typical diverse ecDNA landscape in GBMs
We therefore combined whole-genome sequencing, DNA FISH analysis and RNA scope.
September 8, 2025 at 2:13 PM
We therefore combined whole-genome sequencing, DNA FISH analysis and RNA scope.
We had the opportunity to analyse multi-region samples of Glioblastomas taken from the core, margin and infiltrating margin.
September 8, 2025 at 2:10 PM
We had the opportunity to analyse multi-region samples of Glioblastomas taken from the core, margin and infiltrating margin.
Ruler in my daughters primary school.
To make sure you never learn conversion of cm and inches 😂
To make sure you never learn conversion of cm and inches 😂
August 22, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Ruler in my daughters primary school.
To make sure you never learn conversion of cm and inches 😂
To make sure you never learn conversion of cm and inches 😂
Huge congratulations @francescoterenzi.bsky.social for a great thesis and viva today. Special thanks to @robjohnnoble.bsky.social and @kevinrouault.bsky.social being the examiners and a great discussion today!
April 24, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Huge congratulations @francescoterenzi.bsky.social for a great thesis and viva today. Special thanks to @robjohnnoble.bsky.social and @kevinrouault.bsky.social being the examiners and a great discussion today!
Congratulations to a successful viva Dr. @alexsteinresearch.bsky.social
Many thanks to @cancerevo.org and @zaccasimo.bsky.social to be examiners!
Many thanks to @cancerevo.org and @zaccasimo.bsky.social to be examiners!
March 20, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Congratulations to a successful viva Dr. @alexsteinresearch.bsky.social
Many thanks to @cancerevo.org and @zaccasimo.bsky.social to be examiners!
Many thanks to @cancerevo.org and @zaccasimo.bsky.social to be examiners!
We added an analysis that allows to estimate innate variant fitness in the presence of clonal competition from single variant trajectories.
March 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
We added an analysis that allows to estimate innate variant fitness in the presence of clonal competition from single variant trajectories.
The complication for modular organised clonal organisms are multiple layers of possible fixation of mutations during organismal or population growth
November 19, 2024 at 11:11 AM
The complication for modular organised clonal organisms are multiple layers of possible fixation of mutations during organismal or population growth
And then we have Jessie Renton, who left us earlier this year and worked as a postdoctoral fellow in a joined project with @thorstenreusch.bsky.social and @ibaums.bsky.social on evolutionary dynamics of clonal species in the natural habitats, e.g. seagrasses and corals
November 19, 2024 at 11:09 AM
And then we have Jessie Renton, who left us earlier this year and worked as a postdoctoral fellow in a joined project with @thorstenreusch.bsky.social and @ibaums.bsky.social on evolutionary dynamics of clonal species in the natural habitats, e.g. seagrasses and corals