Cancer Cell Biology Program
Cancer Cell Biology Program - Research at Peter Mac
| Epithelial derived tumours and their interaction with the surrounding normal cells and the extracellular matrix to promote tumour growth and metastasis |
| The Cancer Cell Biology program focuses on epithelial derived tumours and their interaction with the surrounding normal cells and the extracellular matrix to promote tumour growth and metastasis. Epithelial tumours arise within in the context of normal cells and there is increasing evidence that the interaction of the tumour cell with its microenvironment (other epithelial, fibroblast, myoepithelial and immune cells) can profoundly affect the growth and metastasis of the tumour. Moreover, the polarity (orientation) of the tumour cell can influence cell-cell interactions and signalling between cells that are important for restraining cell proliferation and maintaining the integrity of the epithelium. To study the growth, proliferation and invasion of epithelial tumour cells and their interaction with the microenvironment, our program utilises multi-disciplined approaches encompassing three dimensional (3D) cell cultures, whole animal models and sophisticated genetic manipulations. Drs Richardson and Harvey use the genetically manipulable model organism, the vinegar fly Drosophila, to model tumourigenesis in a whole organism context, while Drs Humbert, Anderson, Kaur, Ramsay, Haupt and Martin use mammalian cells and tissues and mouse models of cancer and DNA damage response. |
