Defining The Function Of ROCK In Establishing A Tumour-promoting Microenvironment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$611,950.00
Summary
Cancer’s spread from its primary to secondary sites causes most cancer-related deaths. As cancers grow and spread, their internal structure is modified. Immune cells within the cancer begin to behave differently to the same types of cells in normal tissues, promoting its spread. We have discovered that many of these changes are regulated by a protein called ROCK. We plan to study how ROCK controls such a wide range of tumour promoting processes.
Activating Transcription Factor 3 And Cancer Progression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$767,794.00
Summary
We have shown that the transcription factor ATF3 suppresses bladder cancer spread. Turning off ATF3 is associated with disease progression in bladder and colorectal cancer. We will test whether levels of ATF3 can be used as a prognostic maker for disease progression, investigate the mechanisms underlying the actions of ATF3 in bladder and colorectal cancer and test whether therapeutically activating ATF3 can inhibit cancer progression.