Gabriele Ursula Dachs is a New Zealand academic, and is a full professor at the University of Otago, specialising in the how cancer cells respond to hypoxia, and developing novel treatments for cancer.

Dachs was born and grew up in Namibia. Dachs completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, followed by a PhD titled The effect of metronidazole on Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli at the same institution. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

After postdoctoral research at MRC Harwell in the UK, Dachs joined the Gray Cancer Institute in London as a senior scientist. She then moved to New Zealand, where she was appointed to the faculty of the Department of Pathology at the University of Otago, rising to research associate professor in 2015 and then full professor in 2023. ^{[4] [5]}

Dachs works in the Mackenzie Cancer Research Group and is based at Otago's Christchurch campus. ^{[6] [1]} She is interested in the molecular mechanisms that mean cancers are hard to treat, and how to develop new treatments. ^[1] Dachs has explored how cancer cells respond to hypoxia (low oxygen levels), and how the hypoxic pathway is affected by vitamin C. ^{[7] [8]} Dachs led research that showed that cancer cells from colon tumours removed during surgery retained vitamin C if the patient had received a very high dose infusion of vitamin C before their surgery. ^[8] Previous work by her group had found that vitamin C might be an effective anticancer agent, but as solid tumours have 'disorganised' blood flow, it was not clear if vitamin C would reach or be retained in tumour cells. ^[8] Dachs is also interested in why obese cancer patients do less well in treatment, and whether molecular causes for this can be identified. ^[1] She is also looking at how to improve cancer treatment using prodrugs and gene therapy. ^[1] Her research spans cell culture, rodent models, and clinical trials in cancer patients. ^[3]

In 2021 Dachs was awarded the University of Otago Christchurch Research Gold Medal. ^[5]

Scholia has a profile for Gabi Dachs (Q90427085).

• Chris P. Guise; Maria R Abbattista; Rachelle S Singleton; et al. (9 February 2010). "The bioreductive prodrug PR-104A is activated under aerobic conditions by human aldo-keto reductase 1C3". Cancer Research. 70 (4): 1573–1584. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-3237. ISSN  0008-5472. PMID  20145130. Wikidata  Q34097892.
• Kaye J Williams; Brian Telfer; Dia Xenaki; et al. (18 April 2005). "Enhanced response to radiotherapy in tumours deficient in the function of hypoxia-inducible factor-1". Radiotherapy and Oncology. 75 (1): 89–98. doi: 10.1016/J.RADONC.2005.01.009. ISSN  0167-8140. PMID  15878106. Wikidata  Q47801291.
• Gabi U Dachs; Joanna Tupper; Gillian M Tozer (1 April 2005). "From bench to bedside for gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy of cancer". Anti-Cancer Drugs. 16 (4): 349–359. doi: 10.1097/00001813-200504000-00001. ISSN  0959-4973. PMID  15746571. Wikidata  Q36061340.
• Caroline Kuiper; Ilona G M Molenaar; Gabi U Dachs; Margaret J Currie; Peter H Sykes; Margreet C M Vissers (22 June 2010). "Low ascorbate levels are associated with increased hypoxia-inducible factor-1 activity and an aggressive tumor phenotype in endometrial cancer". Cancer Research. 70 (14): 5749–5758. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-10-0263. ISSN  0008-5472. PMID  20570889. Wikidata  Q43008648.
• Margret C M Vissers; Sarah P Gunningham; Mary J Morrison; Gabi U Dachs; Margaret J Currie (30 November 2006). "Modulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha in cultured primary cells by intracellular ascorbate". Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 42 (6): 765–772. doi: 10.1016/J.FREERADBIOMED.2006.11.023. ISSN  0891-5849. PMID  17320759. Wikidata  Q40167157.
• Gabi U Dachs; Michelle A Hunt; Sophie Syddall; Dean C Singleton; Adam Patterson (10 November 2009). "Bystander or no bystander for gene directed enzyme prodrug therapy". Molecules. 14 (11): 4517–4545. doi: 10.3390/MOLECULES14114517. ISSN  1420-3049. PMC  6255103. PMID  19924084. Wikidata  Q37634940.
• Caroline Kuiper; Gabi U. Dachs; Margaret J. Currie; Margreet C M Vissers (April 2014). "Intracellular ascorbate enhances hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-hydroxylase activity and preferentially suppresses the HIF-1 transcriptional response". Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 69: 308–317. doi: 10.1016/J.FREERADBIOMED.2014.01.033. ISSN  0891-5849. PMID  24495550. Wikidata  Q59617798.

• The Science Of... Vitamin C, Gabi Dachs on Radio New Zealand in 2017
• Scatterlings: Cancer research across continents and time, Inaugural professorial lecture by Gabi Dachs, 4 May 2023, via YouTube