New Grant Awarded to Investigate How Tumour Microenvironments Fuel Cancer Progression
The Giulia Biffi Group based at CRUK Cambridge Institution has been awarded the Interdisciplinary Treatment Grant by Pancreatic Cancer UK to study how cancer cells communicate with their surrounding environment—and how this conversation drives tumour growth in pancreatic and lung cancers.
In collaboration with Gilbertson Group, they will focus on the complex interaction between malignant cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are key players in the tumour microenvironment. While the role of these interactions in cancer progression is well-recognised, it remains challenging to clarify which signals are the most critical drivers of the disease.
The project will study primary pancreatic and lung cancers, as well as pancreatic cancer that has spread to the lung, with the goal of:
1) Identifying common, cancer-promoting mechanisms that are independent of cancer type or organ site.
2) Test if disrupting these signals has potential therapeutic benefit for pancreatic cancer.
Once identified and validated in the animal models, these cancer-promoting signals may provide novel candidates for genetic or pharmacological targeting in human.
To learn more about the research of Biffi Group, visit their website at https://biffilab.wordpress.com/.