Targeted Molecular Therapies And Predictive Biomarkers In A Novel Orthotopic Xenograft Model Of Oesophageal Carcinoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$120,253.00
Summary
Oesophageal cancer is the most rapidly increasing malignancy in Western society. This disease often presents in advanced stages with poor response to established medical and surgical therapies. Our aim is to develop a novel mouse model of oesophageal cancer, allowing us to tailor cancer-inhibiting molecular treatments to individual patients by predicting therapeutic success or resistance with the use of cellular markers identified in our animal mode.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, causing about 3,300 deaths per year. We have identified some small RNAs called microRNAs and other hormone regulators that can interfere with prostate cancer cell growth and signaling via the testosterone pathway. In this application we will be exploring the potential for each of these agents to reduce prostate cancer growth and the possibility that one or more could develop into a therapeutic target in the future.
Control Of Gastrointestinal Tumour Progression By Therapeutic Interference With Myeloid Derived Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$758,678.00
Summary
Cancers of the stomach and the colon are a major health burden. Despite our increased molecular understanding of the mutation that cause these cancers our treatment options are very limited. Here we will use sophisticated and validated mouse models for these cancers to establish how blood-borne cells contribute to the growth and spreading of these cancer. We will use these models to establish highly effective treatment combinations of therapeutic agents that are already undergoing preclinical te ....Cancers of the stomach and the colon are a major health burden. Despite our increased molecular understanding of the mutation that cause these cancers our treatment options are very limited. Here we will use sophisticated and validated mouse models for these cancers to establish how blood-borne cells contribute to the growth and spreading of these cancer. We will use these models to establish highly effective treatment combinations of therapeutic agents that are already undergoing preclinical testing.Read moreRead less
Defining Ubiquitin Ligase Substrates: New Therapeutic Strategies In Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$598,163.00
Summary
Current cancer therapies use drugs that target both tumor cells and rapidly growing normal cells – causing side effects and limiting effectiveness. Newer treatments aim to target molecules that are unique to tumor cells, leaving normal cells unharmed. This project will study a process that tags proteins for destruction by a cellular recycling system, which is often disrupted in cancer. This research will not only help us understand how cancer develops, but also identify new targets for therapy.
Selective Targeting Of Apoptotic Pathways For Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$518,159.00
Summary
The cells of all animals possess the ability to commit suicide. When this natural process of cell death is dysfunctional, diseases such as cancer arise. New anti-cancer drugs aimed at targeting key components of the cell death machinery are showing promise in some patients, but not all. Our aim is to determine whether targeting other cell death components could be a more effective approach. We will also develop new chemicals that could one day allow such strategies to be applied in the clinic.
Dissecting The Roles Of Steroid Hormone Receptors In The Mammary Gland
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$92,314.00
Summary
Breast cancer remains a major cause of death in women, requiring the development of highly efficient therapeutics. Research into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the normal mammary gland is crucial. This project will increase our understanding of the normal roles of the estrogen and progesterone receptors. This research may have significant implications for clinical studies that use more targeted therapies.
A Functional In Vivo ShRNA Screen For Regulators Of Breast Cancer Metastasis.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$555,417.00
Summary
Breast cancer is generally incurable if detected after the tumour has spread to other organs. The genes driving the tumour cells to other sites have not been clearly resolved. This project aims to accelerate the discovery process by using a genome wide functional screen to identify genes that control the spread of breast cancer. If successful, this project could lead very quickly to identification of genes that might be good targets for new therapy against advanced breast cancer.
Nuclear Receptors And Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$681,979.00
Summary
This project will explore the potential for a nuclear receptor known as the thyroid receptor to suppress growth of breast cancer using cell culture models and mouse models. We hope to show that activating the thyroid receptors leads to a reduction in breast cancer growth providing evidence that the thyroid receptor pathway could be targeted for therapy.
Identification Of Interleukin-6 Trans-signalling As A Novel Target For Therapeutic Approaches To Lung Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$627,089.00
Summary
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated as a causative factor in lung cancer, the most lethal cancer worldwide, albeit by unknown mechanisms. Since IL-6 is also important for immune system homeostasis, the development of anti-IL-6 therapies requires an intimate knowledge of pathological versus physiological IL-6 signalling pathways. This project aims for the first time to define an alternative IL-6 signalling pathway, termed “trans signalling”, in the molecular pathogenesis of lung cancer.
Using Mouse Models To Identify Better Therapies For Acute Leukemia And Myelodysplasia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
Despite great advances in the understanding of the genes that cause cancers of the blood, cure rates for patients with acute leukemia, or a more indolent form called myelodyspslaia, has not improved significantly over the last 20 years, with the majority of patients dying from resistant or recurrent disease within 5 years. Our research will use mouse models of acute leukemia and myelodysplasia to identify the critical genetic pathways that drive these diseases and to design and test new therapie ....Despite great advances in the understanding of the genes that cause cancers of the blood, cure rates for patients with acute leukemia, or a more indolent form called myelodyspslaia, has not improved significantly over the last 20 years, with the majority of patients dying from resistant or recurrent disease within 5 years. Our research will use mouse models of acute leukemia and myelodysplasia to identify the critical genetic pathways that drive these diseases and to design and test new therapies that can be taken into clinical trials.Read moreRead less