Molecular And Cellular Determinants Of Tubulin-targeted Drug Action
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$484,500.00
Summary
Cancer is the leading cause of death in developed countries. Despite advances in the use of combination chemotherapy, drug resistance is the major cause of treatment failure. An important component in the treatment of many childhood and adult cancers are the antimicrotubule agents. These drugs target an important part of the cell skeleton called the tubulin-microtubule system that is responsible for many important events including cell division. It is the ability of these drugs to disrupt cell d ....Cancer is the leading cause of death in developed countries. Despite advances in the use of combination chemotherapy, drug resistance is the major cause of treatment failure. An important component in the treatment of many childhood and adult cancers are the antimicrotubule agents. These drugs target an important part of the cell skeleton called the tubulin-microtubule system that is responsible for many important events including cell division. It is the ability of these drugs to disrupt cell division in cancer cells that makes them so effective and such important targets for new drug design. Unfortunately, the reasons why tumours develop resistance to these drugs or even why some tumours do respond well is not understood. This proposal will determine how the makeup and stability of the tubulin-microtubule proteins influences how these drugs work in both childhood and adult tumour cells. Finally, components of drug resistant tumour cells will be examined using technology that allows us to simultaneously separate and identify hundreds of proteins some of which may provide useful targets for the design of new drugs for the treatment of cancer. To improve cancer survival rates it is essential to accurately target the use of existing drugs and to identify new targets for anticancer drug development.Read moreRead less
Breast Cancer is a very common disease in women and although huge progress has been made in the last two decades, much remains to be done to improve our understanding of different types of breast cancer and its management. This program brings together the expertise of three senior researchers: 2scientists and 1 medical scientist. Dr Trench has an interest in identifying genes involved in cancers arising in patients who have a strong family history. She will use molecular methods and cohorts of p ....Breast Cancer is a very common disease in women and although huge progress has been made in the last two decades, much remains to be done to improve our understanding of different types of breast cancer and its management. This program brings together the expertise of three senior researchers: 2scientists and 1 medical scientist. Dr Trench has an interest in identifying genes involved in cancers arising in patients who have a strong family history. She will use molecular methods and cohorts of patients enrolled with Kathleen Cunningham Foundation for Research into Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer to identify the genes responsible, assess their distribution in the population and determine whether these genes also play a role in non-familial cancers. Dr Khanna's work examines the complex array of enzymes that are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the DNA, and investigates how failure of these mechanisms leads to damage of the genetic material which ultimately results in cancer. It is known that genes involved in familial predisposition code for proteins that work as DNA repair enzymes. It is also known that different types of breast cancer exist, each with differing behaviour and response to treatment and that they are associated with specific genetic changes, including those associated with a familial predisposition. Prof Lakhani's interest lies in using microscopy and the latest molecular tools to refine the classification of these different types of breast tumour so that they can be managed appropriately by his surgical and oncological colleagues. A better understanding of the genetic changes and underlying biology of different types of breast cancer will lead to individualised and specific therapy for patients. This program brings together a unique combination, nationally and internationally, that investigates cancers at the level of genes and cells and translates the information to the clinic for the benefit of patient management.Read moreRead less