(Dys)Regulating Junctional Tension: A Novel Mechanism In Tumor Cell Biology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$732,391.00
Summary
This project will study how cancer cells are forced out of their original tissue of origin. This process, called oncogenic extrusion, is important to allow cancer cells to proliferate and invade their surrounding tissue. We have discovered a new cellular mechanism that causes oncogenic extrusion and aim to understand its molecular basis and test how it contributes to breast cancer.
Pharmacological Targeting Of Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase I
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$474,653.00
Summary
This project will investigate a novel approach to controlling how cancer cells grow and spread. It plans to study whether a protein termed N-acetyltransferase is a key to determining whether cancer cells can change thier characteristics, allowing them to invade other tissues. In addition, novel approaches to target this protein are proposed. If successful, the work outlined in this project will open new avenues to understanding and trerating cancers.
E-CADHERIN AS A KEY MOLECULE IN RENAL EPITHELIAL-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION AND FIBROSIS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,267.00
Summary
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major cause of death and disability in the Australian population. Current treatments for CKD are non-specific and frequently ineffective. As a consequence, kidney failure progresses to the stage where patients require dialysis or transplantation to remain alive. Every year more than 1700 Australians require kidney replacement therapy for this reason and many more die of kidney failure or its complications. Kidney fibrosis is the final common result of diverse CK ....Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major cause of death and disability in the Australian population. Current treatments for CKD are non-specific and frequently ineffective. As a consequence, kidney failure progresses to the stage where patients require dialysis or transplantation to remain alive. Every year more than 1700 Australians require kidney replacement therapy for this reason and many more die of kidney failure or its complications. Kidney fibrosis is the final common result of diverse CKD. This project proposes to investigate EMT, a key event in the development of renal fibrosis, whereby kidney cells are converted to fibrogenic cells. The project focuses on matrix enzymes (metalloproteinases) and E-cadherin (a molecule which is involved in adherence of kidney cells to one another, but which we think may actually be involved in the causation of EMT). This focus is novel, and could provide new understanding about the process of EMT in renal fibrosis, knowledge relevant to all diseases characterised by eventual loss of organ function due to fibrosis. It will identify new targets for therapy aimed at preventing fibrotic diseases of all types.Read moreRead less
This work will analyse how cells, the building blocks of tissues, are organized together to form functioning organs. It focuses on the adhesion molecules that allow cells to recognize one another, which cooperate with the internal skeleton of cells to link them together. We aim to understand how these cellular systems work normally and how they are targeted to disrupt tissue integrity in diseases like cancer and inflammation.
Microtubule Capture By E-cadherin: A Novel Mechanism For Dynamic Cell-cell Adhesion.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,500.00
Summary
This project studies the molecular mechanisms responsible for holding cells together in normal tissues. Such cell-to-cell adhesion is mediated by the cadherin family of molecules, which reside at the surfaces of cells. Cadherins allow cells to recognize one another and, upon recognition, adhere to one another. By this means populations of individual cells can be linked together into cohesive populations (i.e. the tissues or organs of the body). The importance of cadherin adhesion is exemplified ....This project studies the molecular mechanisms responsible for holding cells together in normal tissues. Such cell-to-cell adhesion is mediated by the cadherin family of molecules, which reside at the surfaces of cells. Cadherins allow cells to recognize one another and, upon recognition, adhere to one another. By this means populations of individual cells can be linked together into cohesive populations (i.e. the tissues or organs of the body). The importance of cadherin adhesion is exemplified by the well-documented observation that disruption of cadherin adhesion contributes to many important diseases, including inflammation of epithelia and cancers. Thus understanding the mechanisms by which cadherins hold cells together is necessary for us to understand the molecular basis of commondisease. It has long been known that cadherins work in cooperation with elements within the cell, called the cytoskeleton. My lab has recently made the novel discovery that microtubules, specific components of the cytoskeleton, can regulate the functionof cadherin adhesion molecules. Inparticular, microtubules appear to affect how cadherins can participate in dynamic cell processes necessary for cells to be properly organized in tissues. In this project we will probe the molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect of microtubules. The information obtained will provide important new insights into how dynamic cadherin adhesion is controlled, to help our understanding of the cellular mechanisms that couple cells into tissues, and how they may be disrupted in diesase.Read moreRead less