Affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) at the University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Dr. Antoine Khalil completed his PhD studies under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Friedl at the University of Wurzburg, Germany, and Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. During this time, he made significant contributions to the understanding of collective invasion as a predominant mode of local spread in breast cancer patients. His research also involved characterizing the role of connexin channels in organizing invading cells into leader and follower cells. 

In his post-doctoral work, Dr. Khalil continued his investigations on tumor growth and invasion with a specific focus on extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanotransduction. At the lab of Dr. Johan de Rooij at UMC Utrecht, he delved into how cancer cells transduce biomechanical cues in the ECM and explored the molecular mechanisms underlying invasive characteristics in distinct subsets of cancer cells. 

Currently serving as an assistant professor and research leader, Dr. Khalil leads the "Invasion of Epithelial Tumors" group at the Center for Molecular Medicine since January 2022. His work encompasses a comprehensive understanding of invasive processes in cancer, with a focus on epithelial tumors and the reciprocal interactions between cancer cells and their biochemical and physical environment.