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Colorectal Cancer - Molecular Basis To Targeted Therapeutics.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$19,818,386.00
Summary
Cancer of the colon and rectum is the most common form of cancer in Australia. Over 12,000 people are diagnosed each year with colorectal cancer (CRC) and more than one third of people will die of their disease. CRC is caused by mistakes in production of colon cells. Our research aims to discover new ways to detect CRC, develop smart drugs and nanoparticle delivery systems for destroying all types of CRC cells. We will then test our new anti-cancer drugs in clinical trials with CRC patients.
C-myb Regulates Stem-progenitor Cell Cycle Entry In Colonic Crypts Providing Insights Into Colo-rectal Carcinogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,020.00
Summary
During a human's life time the colon or large bowel produced an extraordinary volume of cells. This requires almost unimaginable numbers of cell divisions. We are investigating the role of a gene (c-myb) that we propose is one of the key regulators of normal colon growth and function. It is expressed in the base of the functional unit of the colon called the colonic crypt. The base contains the stem cell population which give rise to all the crypt cells. We have generated and gathered a unique a ....During a human's life time the colon or large bowel produced an extraordinary volume of cells. This requires almost unimaginable numbers of cell divisions. We are investigating the role of a gene (c-myb) that we propose is one of the key regulators of normal colon growth and function. It is expressed in the base of the functional unit of the colon called the colonic crypt. The base contains the stem cell population which give rise to all the crypt cells. We have generated and gathered a unique and comprehensive set of mutant mice that have various degrees of dysfunction of the c-myb gene. We will study the colons of these mice to determine how c-myb regulates cell growth. We will also investigate these mice under stress conditions like that associated with cancer therapies like radiation treatment. Understanding such genes will improve the management of cancer patient how suffer gastro-intestinal side effects such as diarrhoea, perhaps hyper-proliferative disorders like inflammatory bowel disease and finally colon cancer where complete loss of cell growth is a feature.Read moreRead less
Rob Ramsay has had a long standing research commitment to understanding bowel and breast cancer using mouse models with defined genetic defects. These sophisticated models replicate various stages of cancer development and some have profound effects on normal tissue biology. He also uses molecular tools to investigate how genes are controlled. These approaches are providing direct input into the development of therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.
Investigating The Roles Of The Wnt And Notch Signalling Systems In Colon Cancer Crypt Biology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$604,439.00
Summary
Colon cancer occurs because of mutations to a tumour suppressor gene. These mutations alter the growth and positional signals for the cancer cells. This project aims to produce a computer model of the regulatory processes in normal colonic cells, to discover why the mutations lead to cancer and to discover rational drug targets for interfering with the growth of colon cancer cells.
Investigation Of DUSP5 As A Novel Tumour Suppressor Gene In Colon Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,268.00
Summary
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death in Australia. Understanding the genetic causes of this disease are essential to developing new treatment strategies. The goal of this study is to understand the role of the DUSP5 gene in colon cancer. The findings of this study has the potential to further our understanding of how colon cancers arise and for identifying patients likely to respond to specific existing treatments.
This project aims to develop a new therapy for colorectal cancer (CRC). We have already demonstrated that a molecule called PAK1 is the master regulator of several intracellular signalling pathways, and is essential for CRC growth and invasion. We now plan to study whether inhibitors that block PAK1 activity can prevent the growth of human CRC cells in the laboratory or their development into tumours in animals.
Role Of The EHF Transcription Factor In Regulating The Differentiation Status Of Colon Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$621,950.00
Summary
New treatment strategies for colon cancer are urgently needed. This application will test a novel approach for treating colon cancer based on the re-induction of differentiation of colon cancer cells, by reactivating a gene called EHF. We expect this to reduce the propensity for colon cancer cells to spread to distant organs and to increase their sensitivity to chemotherpay. This has the potential to significantly benefit the clinical management of patients with this disease.
Immune Regulation Of Colitis And Associated Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$646,995.00
Summary
Inflammatory bowel disease is a debilitating condition that can significantly increase the likelihood of developing colon cancer. There are many different cellular pathways that lead to this inflammation, but we have uncovered a key signal that can prevent it from occurring. Specifically, we have identified how this signal increases a new type of suppressive cell that fights inflammation in the colon and can also stop this leading cancer.