Objective An intense line of current investigation in cancer is based on the connection between tumorigenesis and stem cell biology. Some tumours may originate from the transformation of normal stem cells at least in the case of blood, breast, skin, brain, spino-cerebellar and colon cancers. In addition, tumours may contain 'cancer stem cells', rare cells with indefinite potential for self-renewal, that drive tumorigenesis. Interestingly, the same signalling pathways (TGF-beta/BMP, Wnt and Notch pathways) appear to regulate self-renewal in stem cells and cancer cells. Self-renewal occurs through the asymmetric cell division of stem cells, which thereby generate a daughter stem cell and another daughter cell that contributes to populate the developing organ or the growing tumour.In the Drosophila nervous system, one of the best understood asymmetric cell division models; asymmetry is mediated by a biased Notch-dependent signalling event between the two daughter cells. ONCASYM Partners have recently showed i) that the process of biased signalling during asymmetric cell division is controlled by endocytosis and ii) that tumours can be induced in mutants with altered stem-cell asymmetric division. In human normal and cancer stem cells, asym. cell division is supposed to take place, but it has not directly been proved yet. Furthermore, the role of biased signalling by endocytosis in these stem cells has not been addressed to date.The aim of this proposal is 3-fold:i) to screen for genes involved in asymmetric cell division of human cancer stem cells,ii) to characterize the asym. cell division of these stem cells by using these candidate genes as markers and developing novel specific biosensors andiii) to functionally study the role of the identified candidate genes during asym. cell division of cancer stem cells.Our ultimate goal is to untangle the molecular machinery of cancer stem cell asymmetric division thereby providing drugable targets for cancer therapy. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologyengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsbiosensorsnatural sciencesbiological sciencescell biologymedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cellsmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologycolorectal cancer Programme(s) FP6-LIFESCIHEALTH - Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health: Thematic Priority 1 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) LSH-2005-2.2.0-5 - Exploring the patient's cancer stem cell as a novel therapeutic target Call for proposal FP6-2005-LIFESCIHEALTH-6 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator UNIVERSITÉ DE GENÈVE EU contribution No data Address 24, rue du Général-Dufour GENÈVE 4 Switzerland See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all HUBRECHT LABORATORY, NETHERLANDS INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY / KNAW Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Uppsalalaan 8 UTRECHT See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data IFOM FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO FIRC DI ONCOLOGIA MOLECOLARE Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Adamello, 16 MILAN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data ISTITUTO EUROPEO DI ONCOLOGIA SRL Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Filodrammatici, 10 MILAN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR BIOTECHNOLOGY OF THE AUSTRIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Austria EU contribution No data Address Dr. Bohrgasse 3-5 VIENNA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data INSTITUT DE RECERCA BIOMEDICA Spain EU contribution No data Address Baldiri Reixac, 10-12 BARCELONA See on map Total cost No data GALAPAGOS B.V. Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Darwinweg 24 P.O. Box 127 LEIDEN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN E.V. REPRESENTED BY THE MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY AND GENETICS Germany EU contribution No data Address Hofgartenstr. 8 MÜNCHEN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
