Identification of kinases driving the metastatic behaviour of breast cancer

Dr. Tilman Brummer (Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cell Research)

PD Dr. Thomas Reinheckel (Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cell Research)

Prof. Christoph Peters (Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cell Research)

Tumour progression is not only caused by dysregulated intracellular signalling, but also by altered interaction of cells with their environment. Importantly, these processes are connected to each other as alterations of signaling and metabolic pathways caused by oncogenic events within the tumour cell contribute to the establishment and dynamic remodelling of the tumor microenvironment, e.g. by inducing proteolytic activities and secreting signaling molecules that address stromal, endothelial and immune cells. Indeed, the tumour microenvironment has drastic effects on the establishment and progression of a tumour. For example, depending on the tumour microenvironment, the immune system can either suppress or promote tumour development. In this project, we want to combine our expertise in 3D cell cultures and material engineering to obtain novel insights by re-building the tumour microenvironment in a well-defined experimental setting that also allows its multi-parameter monitoring in real time.