Rate My Professor Nic Bougen-Zhukov

Dr. Nicola Bougen-Zhukov, known as Nic, serves as a Research Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Otago, part of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences. She completed her PhD at the University of Auckland, where her doctoral research explored aspects of cancer biology. Following her doctorate, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Bioinformatics Institute in Singapore from 2013 to 2017, gaining expertise in molecular biology, cell culture, gene expression analysis, and high-throughput screening techniques. In 2017, she joined the Cancer Genetics Laboratory within the Centre for Translational Cancer Research at the University of Otago, initially as a postdoctoral researcher, and progressed to Research Associate and then Research Fellow by 2021. Her academic career has focused on translational cancer research, bridging basic science with potential clinical applications.

Bougen-Zhukov's research specialization in cancer genetics centers on identifying synthetic lethal vulnerabilities in E-cadherin (CDH1)-deficient cells, which are characteristic of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) and sporadic lobular breast cancers. She investigates drug targets and chemopreventative compounds using a pipeline that progresses from cell lines and organoids to mouse models, aiming for eventual human trials. Her work addresses clinical challenges in treating these aggressive cancers. Key publications include 'Allosteric AKT Inhibitors Target Synthetic Lethal Vulnerabilities in E-Cadherin-Deficient Cells' (Cancers, 2019), 'Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer: updated clinical practice guidelines' (The Lancet Oncology, 2020), 'Discovery of AL-GDa62 as a Potential Synthetic Lethal Lead for the Treatment of Gastric Cancer' (Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2021), 'E-Cadherin-Deficient Cells Are Sensitive to the Multikinase Inhibitor Dasatinib' (Cancers, 2022), 'E-Cadherin-Deficient Epithelial Cells Are Sensitive to HDAC Inhibitors' (Cancers, 2021), and 'E-cadherin loss in Cd44-positive gastric cells initiates diffuse gastric cancer in a murine model' (Gut, 2026). These contributions have garnered over 750 citations and supported funding for cancer research initiatives at Otago, enhancing therapeutic strategies for CDH1-related malignancies.