Our People

Dr Johanna Michl

Dr Johanna Michl

  • Non-Stipendiary Lecturer in Medicine

Research

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics. My current research focusses on cancer cell metabolism, and is carried out in collaboration with Professor Sir Walter Bodmer at the Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine (WIMM). More specifically, I investigate the molecular mechanisms which enable cancer cells to survive in an acidic environment, a common feature of many solid tumours.

Previously, I carried out research on DNA damage repair at the Department of Oncology. I discovered a novel synthetic lethal interaction between the Fanconi anemia protein FANCD2 and BRCA2, as a potential means for selectively killing BRCA1/2-deficient cancer cells.

Teaching

At St. Peter’s College, I hold tutorials on membrane physiology for 1st year students in Medicine. In addition, I lead practical classes for MSc students and supervise research students (MSc, MRes, and Final Honours School (FHS) students) during their laboratory projects.

Background

I arrived in Oxford in 2014, after completing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Biology and Chemistry at UCL, in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. During my PhD, I carried out research at the Yale School of Medicine as a postgraduate research fellow.

Selected publications

Michl, J., Monterisi, S., White, B., Blaszczak, W., Hulikova, A., Abdullayeva, G., Bridges, E. M., Yin, Z., Bodmer, W. F., Swietach, P. (2023) Acid-adapted cancer cells alkalinize their cytoplasm by degrading the acid-loading membrane transporter anion exchanger 2. Cell Reports 42(6):112601.

Michl, J.*, Wang, Y., Monterisi, S., Blaszczak, W., Beveridge, R., Bridges, E. M., Koth, J., Bodmer, W.F., Swietach, P.* (2022) CRISPR/Cas9 screen identifies oxidative phosphorylation as essential for cancer cell survival at low pH. Cell Reports. 38(10):110493 *corresponding authors.

Michl, J., Zimmer, J., McDermott, U., Buffa, F.M., Tarsounas, M. (2016) FANCD2 limits Replication Stress and Genome Instability in BRCA2-deficient Cells. Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. 23:755-757.