OncologyGrowth control and cancer metastasis
Intricate signalling networks control cell division, differentiation, movement, organization and death. Understanding how cells read and transform these signals into changes in cell behaviour is a major research focus of our group. Cancer cells disobey these signals during tumour progression and metastasis. Metastasis is the final step in 90% of all fatal solid tumours. It is therefore a grave public health problem and consequently a field of considerable pharmaceutical interest.
Growth Control and Cancer Metastasis
Our research centres on how growth factors, signalling pathways, and gene expression programmes control normal cell proliferation and cancer cell metastasis.
We study the ways in which cancer cells evade tumour suppressor mechanisms and engage in metastatic behaviour. We focus on a cytostatic programme involving the transcriptional activation of cell cycle inhibitors and the transcriptional repression of growth-promoting and anti-differentiation factors. Furthermore, we examine how tumour cells evade these gene responses in order to pursue metastatic behaviour. By combining in vivo selection of human metastatic cells, transcriptomic profiling and functional testing, we identify genes that selectively mediate breast metastasis to specific organs. Gene transfer techniques and RNAi-mediated gene silencing are used to functionally validate candidate genes. We are encouraged by the recent validation of these findings in clinical samples. Several of these genes encode products that are susceptible to therapeutic targeting.
The Growth control and cancer metastasis group receives financial support from the following sources:
- Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Spanish Ministry of Science and Education)
- Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer
People
Group news & mentions
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Gabby Silberman: “Tenim l'obligació de donar als nostres científics els instruments per canviar el món” -
300 investigadors es donen cita a Cosmocaixa per explorar les fronteres del coneixement científic -
Tres científiques de l'IRB Barcelona són guardonades amb la beca "To the Mothers of Science" del BIST -
Roger Gomis: La metàstasi segons el tumor
Group news & mentions
Gabby Silberman, director general del Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, ha aprofitat el seu discurs de benvinguda als més de 300 investigadors participants en la conferència an
El proper dimecres 27 de juny més de 300 líders de recerca es reuniran a CosmoCaixa per debatre els últims avenços científics en àmbits capdavanters —energia, salut, medi ambient— de gran impacte s
Tres científiques de l'IRB Barcelona han estat guardonades pel programa "To the Mothers of Science" del Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), programa que busca reconèixer la recerc
Roger Gomis, cap del laboratori de Control de Creixement i Metàstasi del Càncer de l'IRB Barcelona, va participar en la sèrie de vídeos "Càpsules de ciència" de TV3 per parlar sobre a recerca del s
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