29 November 2023
What can the cosmos teach us about Cancer?
Growing up in Venezuela, Anna always had an innovative and curious disposition. Studying science at university, Anna found the sterile environment of a lab stifling (think white lab coats and fluorescent lighting) and very challenging to make a breakthrough as cancer and diseases are so complex.
Anna took an evening out of her week to see The Social Network, a movie that sparked a pivotal moment into Anna’s thinking about the interconnectedness of our world and research, and a moment of certainty that she wanted a career marrying biology and informatics to make medical breakthroughs. Anna made the move to Australia to pursue her career, as a world leading researcher in understanding the dynamics of cancer ecosystems.
As a newly appointed Group Leader at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Dr Anna Trigos is focused on understanding the dynamics of cancer ecosystems based on evolutionary principles, using a combination of single-cell-omics technologies and spatial platforms. Completing her Bachelor and Honours degree in Venezuela followed by a MSc and PhD in Australia, Dr Trigos currently leads a team of six. With extensive expertise in the spatial analysis of cells in tissues, Dr Trigos conceived and led a project developing algorithms for the spatial distribution of cells of the microenvironment from spatial proteomics data.
“Every day at work I, alongside my incredible team, am actively contributing to breaking down the stereotype of women in science. Whether you are wanting to manage a team in a lab, research, or play an active role in an experiment, STEM is all about narrowing in on what your strengths are and matching the person with the right role. I’m so grateful to receive this Fellowship to help make a difference to the lives of future cancer patients and the people around them,” said Dr Trigos.