Project 170949
Role of Oxygen as a Regulator of Tumour Cell Plasticity and Metastatic Potential
Role of Oxygen as a Regulator of Tumour Cell Plasticity and Metastatic Potential
Project Information
| Study Type: | Other Mechanistic_Study |
| Therapeutic Area: | Cancer |
| Research Theme: | Biomedical |
| Disease Area: | cancer |
| Data Type: | Canadian |
Institution & Funding
| Principal Investigator(s): | Postovit, Lynne-Marie |
| Institution: | University of Western Ontario |
| CIHR Institute: | Cancer Research |
| Program: | |
| Peer Review Committee: | New Investigators A |
| Competition Year: | 2008 |
| Term: | 5 yrs 0 mth |
Abstract Summary
Rapidly growing tumours contain many areas of low oxygen (hypoxia), and the presence of these hypoxic regions is associated with cancer metastasis and a poor clinical outcome. In a manner similar to stem cells, sub-populations of aggressive cancer cells express embryo-associated proteins, such as Nodal, that enable them to grow forever (self-renew). Recent studies have revealed that low oxygen levels allow stem cells to grow forever (self renew). We propose that low oxygen levels similarly allow cancer cells to grow forever and metastasize. As such, the effects of hypoxia on the expression of stem cell-associated genes (with an emphasis on Nodal) as well as the contribution of these factors to tumour progression and metastasis will be investigated. It is our hope that this research will uncover novel targets for the treatment and prevention of cancer progression and metastasis.
Research Characteristics
This project includes the following research characteristics:
Study Justification
"Our research program is focused on how cells ensure that they maintain a balanced complement of chromosomes."
Novelty Statement
"The ultimate goal of this research is to contribute to a better understanding of how the loss of tissue architecture contributes to cancer, and to identify new avenues for therapeutic intervention."
Methodology Innovation
studying the molecular mechanisms of chromosome segregation to understand how aneuploidy contributes to cancer