Prof. Axel Behrens, Dr. rer. nat.

Prof. Axel Behrens is a molecular biologist and a leading expert in Cancer Stem Cell Biology and cancer therapeutics. He currently serves as the Director of the Convergence Science Centre, an innovative partnership between Imperial College London, the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), and Cancer Research UK. He is also a Full Professor and Senior Group Leader at the ICR and a Full Professor at Imperial College London, holding Honorary Professorships at King’s College London and Sun Yat-sen University. His research focuses on cellular heterogeneity and the intricate communication networks between cancer cells that drive tumour growth. A pioneer in technology innovation, he invented FLASH (Fast Light microscopic Analysis of antibody Stained wHole organs) for 3D imaging and identified key cancer stem cell subpopulations to develop new therapeutic directions. He earned his Dr. rer. nat. (PhD) in Molecular Genetics from Vienna University and completed his postdoctoral training at the University Hospital Zurich.