Meet the jury: ‘The role of accelerated ageing in tumour initiation’ by prof. Khaled & ‘The quiet force: How basal cells build, maintain, and defend the breast’ by prof. Peuhu
You are kindly invited to the meet the jury lectures by Prof Whalid Khaled on ‘The role of accelerated ageinig in tumour initiation’ and by Prof Emilia Peuhu on ‘The quiet force: How basal cells build, maintain, and defend the breast’
Date: 19.10.2026 at 14.30
Venue: ALO 07.200
Prof. Walid Khaled -“The role of accelerated ageing in tumour initiation”
About the lecture
Professor Walid Khaled’s laboratory investigates the earliest cellular and molecular events that drive tumour initiation, with a particular focus on how the cell of origin and surrounding microenvironment influence tumour development. Using single-cell approaches in mouse and human tissues, his team studies the transition from healthy tissue to precancerous states to identify opportunities for early cancer detection and prevention. In this lecture, Professor Khaled will present recent, unpublished work exploring the relationship between ageing and cancer development, and how age-associated changes in normal tissues may influence the risk of tumour initiation.
About the speaker
Professor Walid Khaled is a group leader at the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and a faculty member of the Breast Cancer Programme at the Cambridge Cancer Centre. His research focuses on understanding the earliest stages of epithelial tumour initiation, with the aim of developing new approaches for cancer detection and prevention. He co-leads the Human Breast Cell Atlas initiative and has pioneered the use of single-cell approaches to study cellular changes in normal and precancerous mammary tissue. More info on https://crukcambridgecentre.org.uk/users/wtkhaled
Prof. Emilia Peuhu – “The quiet force: How basal cells build, maintain, and defend the breast”
About the lecture
Basal mammary epithelial cells are known for their contractile function during lactation and high regenerative capacity, but what do they do the rest of the time? I will present evidence that they are a heterogeneous, mechanically active population that contributes to breast morphogenesis and hormonal remodeling, and forms a containment barrier whose loss may enable cancer invasion.
About the speaker
Emilia Peuhu, Ph.D., is a Research Group Leader at the Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Finland. She earned her Ph.D. in cell biology at Åbo Akademi University and completed postdoctoral training at Northwestern University (USA) and University of Turku. In 2019, she established her independent research group, supported by an Academy of Finland Research Fellowship. She currently leads a research team of 11 members. Her research focuses on the role of tissue architecture and cell interactions in breast biology and the early transition to invasive breast cancer. By integrating human tissue studies with advanced cell culture systems, volumetric imaging, multi-omics, and tissue mechanics analyses, her team aims to discover novel regulators of mammary epithelial function and define how microenvironmental cues drive tissue homeostasis, regeneration, and cancer progression. Dr. Peuhu has received several scientific awards in Finland, including the Elias Tillandz Prize and the Medix Prize for biomedical research. More info on https://peuhulab.utu.fi/?page_id=23
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