Jan Suski, PhD

Group Leader

Laboratory of Cell Cycle and Cancer
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5657-2655

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Research interests

Our group studies the biology of the cell cycle to uncover mechanisms that drive both normal cell proliferation and cancer development. We are particularly interested in understanding how cell cycle progression is regulated during development and how these regulatory networks become disrupted in disease. By focusing on cell-cycle kinases and their regulatory partners, we aim to reveal how aberrant signaling pathways feed into the cell cycle machinery and contribute to uncontrolled cell growth.

Beyond the canonical roles of cell cycle regulators in DNA replication and division, we explore their emerging, non-traditional functions — including roles in metastasis, metabolism, and epigenetic regulation. This broader perspective allows us to understand how the same molecular engines that drive proliferation can also shape other hallmarks of cancer.

Our laboratory combines state-of-the-art molecular and cell biology tools with cutting-edge approaches in targeted protein degradation, CRISPR-based genetic engineering, and advanced mouse models. Through close collaborations with industry and clinical partners, we strive to bridge fundamental biological discovery with translational research, with the goal of identifying new, patient-centered therapeutic strategies.

Members of the group

NameSurnameDegreeE-mail
JanSuskiPhDj.suski@imol.institute

Publications

2022
  • Suski JM, Ratnayeke N, Braun M, Zhang T, Strmiska V, Michowski W, Can G, Simoneau A, Snioch K, Cup M, Sullivan CM, Wu X, Nowacka J, Branigan TB, Pack LR, DeCaprio JA, Geng Y, Zou L, Gygi SP, Walter JC, Meyer T, Sicinski P*. CDC7-independent G1/S transition revealed by targeted protein degradation. Nature. 2022 May;605(7909):357-365. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04698-x. PMID: 35508654
2021
  • Suski JM, Braun M, Strmiska V, Sicinski P*. Targeting cell-cycle machinery in cancer. Cancer Cell. 2021 Jun 14;39(6):759-778. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.03.010. PMID: 33891890
2020
  • Michowski W, Chick JM, Chu C, Kolodziejczyk A, Wang Y, Suski JM, Abraham B, Anders L, Day D, Dunkl LM, Li Cheong Man M, Zhang T, Laphanuwat P, Bacon NA, Liu L, Fassl A, Sharma S, Otto T, Jecrois E, Han R, Sweeney KE, Marro S, Wernig M, Geng Y, Moses A, Li C, Gygi SP, Young RA, Sicinski P*.Cdk1 Controls Global Epigenetic Landscape in Embryonic Stem Cells. Mol Cell. 2020 May 7;78(3):459-476.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.03.010. 1.PMID: 32240602

 

  • Sharma S, Zhang T, Michowski W, Rebecca VW, Xiao M, Ferretti R, Suski JM, Bronson RT, Paulo JA, Frederick D, Fassl A, Boland GM, Geng Y, Lees JA, Medema RH, Herlyn M, Gygi SP, Sicinski P*. Targeting the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 in metastatic melanoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Apr 7;117(14):8001-8012. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1912617117. PMID: 32193336
2017
  • Wang H, Nicolay BN, Chick JM, Gao X, Geng Y, Ren H, Gao H, Yang G, Williams JA, Suski JM, Keibler MA, Sicinska E, Gerdemann U, Haining WN, Roberts TM, Polyak K, Gygi SP, Dyson NJ, Sicinski P*. The metabolic function of cyclin D3-CDK6 kinase in cancer cell survival. Nature. 2017 Jun 15;546(7658):426-430. doi: 10.1038/nature22797. PMID: 28607489

 

  • Hydbring P, Wang Y, Fassl A, Li X, Matia V, Otto T, Choi YJ, Sweeney KE, Suski JM, Yin H, Bogorad RL, Goel S, Yuzugullu H, Kauffman KJ, Yang J, Jin C, Li Y, Floris D, Swanson R, Ng K, Sicinska E, Anders L, Zhao JJ, Polyak K, Anderson DG, Li C, Sicinski P*. Cell-Cycle-Targeting MicroRNAs as Therapeutic Tools against Refractory Cancers. Cancer Cell. 2017 Apr 10;31(4):576-590.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2017.03.004.PMID: 28399412

 

  • Del Prete D, Suski JM, Oulès B, Debayle D, Gay AS, Lacas-Gervais S, Bussiere R, Bauer C, Pinton P, Paterlini-Bréchot P, Wieckowski MR, Checler F, Chami M*. Localization and Processing of the Amyloid-β Protein Precursor in Mitochondria-Associated Membranes. J Alzheimers Dis. 2017;55(4):1549-1570. doi: 10.3233/JAD-160953. PMID: 27911326
2015
  • Giorgi C, Bonora M, Sorrentino G, Missiroli S, Poletti F, Suski JM, Galindo Ramirez F, Rizzuto R, Di Virgilio F, Zito E, Pandolfi PP, Wieckowski MR, Mammano F, Del Sal G, Pinton P*. p53 at the endoplasmic reticulum regulates apoptosis in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Feb 10;112(6):1779-84. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1410723112. PMID: 25624484
2014
  • Bonora M, De Marchi E+, Patergnani S+, Suski JM+, Celsi F, Bononi A, Giorgi C, Marchi S, Rimessi A, Duszyński J, Pozzan T, Wieckowski MR, Pinton P*. Tumor necrosis factor-α impairs oligodendroglial differentiation through a mitochondria-dependent process. Cell Death Differ. 2014 Aug;21(8):1198-208. doi: 10.1038/cdd.2014.35. PMID: 24658399 (+equal contribution)

 

  • Suski JM, Lebiedzinska M, Wojtala A, Duszynski J, Giorgi C, Pinton P, Wieckowski MR*. Isolation of plasma membrane-associated membranes from rat liver. Nat Protoc. 2014 Feb;9(2):312-22. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2014.016. PMID: 24434800
2013
  • Bonora M, Bononi A, De Marchi E, Giorgi C, Lebiedzinska M, Marchi S, Patergnani S, Rimessi A, Suski JM, Wojtala A, Wieckowski MR, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L, Pinton P*. Role of the c subunit of the FO ATP synthase in mitochondrial permeability transition. Cell Cycle. 2013 Feb 15;12(4):674-83. doi: 10.4161/cc.23599. PMID: 23343770

 

  • Yao Z, Jones AW, Fassone E, Sweeney MG, Lebiedzinska M, Suski JM, Wieckowski MR, Tajeddine N, Hargreaves IP, Yasukawa T, Tufo G, Brenner C, Kroemer G, Rahman S, Szabadkai G. PGC-1β mediates adaptive chemoresistance associated with mitochondrial DNA mutations. Oncogene. 2013 May 16;32(20):2592-600. doi: 10.1038/onc.2012.259. PMID: 22777349

 

  • Lebiedzinska M, Karkucinska-Wieckowska A, Wojtala A, Suski JM, Szabadkai G, Wilczynski G, Wlodarczyk J, Diogo CV, Oliveira PJ, Tauber J, Ježek P, Pronicki M, Duszynski J, Pinton P, Wieckowski MR*. Disrupted ATP synthase activity and mitochondrial hyperpolarisation-dependent oxidative stress is associated with p66Shc phosphorylation in fibroblasts of NARP patients. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2013 Jan;45(1):141-50. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2012.07.020. PMID: 22885148

 

  • Diogo CV, Suski JM, Lebiedzinska M, Karkucinska-Wieckowska A, Wojtala A, Pronicki M, Duszynski J, Pinton P, Portincasa P, Oliveira PJ, Wieckowski MR. Cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction during hyperglycemia–the role of oxidative stress and p66Shc signaling. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2013 Jan;45(1):114-22. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2012.07.004.PMID: 22776741
2012
  • Suski JM, Schönfeld P, Bonora M, Shabalina I, Pinton P, Więckowski MR*. Guanosine diphosphate exerts a lower effect on superoxide release from mitochondrial matrix in the brains of uncoupling protein-2 knockout mice: new evidence for a putative novel function of uncoupling proteins as superoxide anion transporters. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 Nov 16;428(2):234-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.10.025. PMID: 23068098

 

  • Suski JM, Lebiedzinska M, Bonora M, Pinton P, Duszynski J, Wieckowski MR*. Relation between mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS formation. Methods Mol Biol. 2012;810:183-205. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-382-0_12. PMID: 22057568

 

  • Giorgi C, Agnoletto C, Bononi A, Bonora M, De Marchi E, Marchi S, Missiroli S, Patergnani S, Poletti F, Rimessi A, Suski JM, Wieckowski MR, Pinton P*. Mitochondrial calcium homeostasis as potential target for mitochondrial medicine. Mitochondrion. 2012 Jan;12(1):77-85. doi: 10.1016/j.mito.2011.07.004. PMID: 21798374

 

  • Bonora M, Patergnani S, Rimessi A, De Marchi E, Suski JM, Bononi A, Giorgi C, Marchi S, Missiroli S, Poletti F, Wieckowski MR, Pinton P. ATP synthesis and storage. Purinergic Signal. 2012 Sep;8(3):343-57. doi: 10.1007/s11302-012-9305-8. PMID: 22528680

 

  • Giorgi C, Baldassari F, Bononi A, Bonora M, De Marchi E, Marchi S, Missiroli S, Patergnani S, Rimessi A, Suski JM, Wieckowski MR, Pinton P*. Mitochondrial Ca(2+) and apoptosis. Cell Calcium. 2012 Jul;52(1):36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.ceca.2012.02.008. PMID: 22480931
2011
  • Suski J, Lebiedzinska M, Machado NG, Oliveira PJ, Pinton P, Duszynski J, Wieckowski MR*. Mitochondrial tolerance to drugs and toxic agents in ageing and disease. Curr Drug Targets. 2011 Jun;12(6):827-49. doi: 10.2174/138945011795529029. PMID: 21269267

 

  • Wojtczak L, Lebiedzińska M, Suski JM, Więckowski MR, Schönfeld P*. Inhibition by purine nucleotides of the release of reactive oxygen species from muscle mitochondria: indication for a function of uncoupling proteins as superoxide anion transporters. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2011 Apr 22;407(4):772-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.03.098. PMID: 21439941

 

  • Patergnani S, Suski JM, Agnoletto C, Bononi A, Bonora M, De Marchi E, Giorgi C, Marchi S, Missiroli S, Poletti F, Rimessi A, Duszynski J, Wieckowski MR, Pinton P*. Calcium

About Group Leader

Dr. Jan Suski joined IMol in 2025 to establish the Laboratory of Cell Cycle and Cancer with a vision to bridge fundamental discoveries in cell-cycle biology with translational applications in oncology, building on over a decade of experience across academia and industry.
Prior to joining IMol, Dr. Suski spent over three years at AstraZeneca, where he developed early-stage oncology research projects focused on novel strategies to tackle tumor drivers and overcome resistance to existing theapies.
Dr. Suski conducted his postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Sicinski at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston. There, he investigated mechanisms regulating DNA replication and cell-cycle progression. During this time, he pioneered an innovative in vivo approach to targeted protein degradation and challenged a long-standing dogma about the molecular events initiating DNA replication — a breakthrough that reshaped our understanding of replication control.
He earned his PhD in Biochemistry jointly at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology and the University of Ferrara, where he studied the implications of mitochondrial dysfunction in the brain.

Funding

2025-2030
  • NCN Sonata Bis (2024/54/E/NZ3/00155) „Canonical and non-canonical roles of DDK in oncogenesis: a cornerstone for the development of novel, potent anticancer therapies” (IMol PAS)
2014-2017
  • MNiSW Mobility Plus (1085/MOB/2013/0) „Cdk3 in cancer and development” (Harvard Medical School/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)
2012-2013
  • 2012-2013 MNiSW Iuventus Plus (0531/IP1/2011/71) „Role of mitochondrial Uncoupling proteins in ROS regulation – a new look at antioxidant protection” (IBD PAN)
2011
  • 2011 FEBS Short Term fellowship (Stockholm University)
2010-2013
  • FNP NeuroPhD Fellowship (MPD/2009/4/) “Energy metabolism of brain mitochondria upon oxidative stress and in ageing” (IBD PAN and Universita degli studi di Ferrara)
2007-2008
  • Erasmus Scholarships (Universidad Politecnica de Valencia)