Integrated Calendar

The realization of new quantum effects in materials strongly depends on the discovery of compounds that can exhibit these effects. For example, although first predictions were made in the 70s, the field of topological insulators only really grew after topological materials were discovered that could be studied. In order to create new materials that exhibit new and exotic physical properties, knowledge about the periodic table and chemical concepts is extremely useful. In this talk, I will introduce some basic chemical concepts and show how they can be used as a guide to develop new superconductors, 3D Dirac semimetals and two-dimensional magnets

Melanoma originates in the epidermis and becomes metastatic after invasion into the dermis. This radial to vertical growth transition, is crucial for melanoma metastatic stage, yet the triggers of this transition remain elusive. We demonstrated that the microenvironment drives melanoma metastasis independently of mutation acquisition. By examining changes in microenvironment that occur during melanoma radial growth, we found that direct contact of melanoma cells with the remote epidermal layer triggers vertical invasion via Notch signaling activation. Moreover, we show that melanoma cells directly affect the formation of the dermal tumor niche by microRNA trafficking before invasion.