Project description
Resistance to oncogenic transformation
Cancer cells emerge from a combination of genetic and epigenetic alterations in normal cells, promoting transformation. However, oncogenic signals may be innocuous to some cells, suggesting the existence of a mechanism that protects against cell transformation. Using Drosophila as a model, scientists of the EU-funded OncoResist project will investigate the proliferation of epithelial cells in the eye following abnormal Hippo signalling. The work will focus on changes in the nuclear landscape such as chromatin accessibility and the role of long non-coding RNAs. The delineation of this protective mechanism will pave new avenues in anti-cancer research.
Objective
Oncogenesis is a complex multi-step process that involves the combination of genetic and epigenetic alterations for normal cells to turn into cancerous cells. Remarkably, while some strong oncogenic signals can promote transformation in some cell states, they are completely innocuous to other cell types.
My aim is to study this poorly understood phenomena, being my current hypothesis, that intrinsic cell state transformation protection mechanisms are likely to exist.
I will use the Drosophila eye primordium epithelium, as I have previously observed that whereas committed epithelial cells over-proliferate in response to abnormal Hippo signalling, undifferentiated progenitor cells are resistant to this transformation.
To molecularly define such resilience to oncogenesis, the gene expression and chromatin accessibility profile of these two cell populations were compared. My preliminary results showed that the chromatin accessibility profile differed significantly and suggested that some pioneer transcription factors primed cells to respond to Hippo signalling. Moreover, I observed that non-coding RNAs were differentially expressed between these two cell populations. In particular, some long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of molecules that were recently described as regulators of oncogenic signals, were particularly enriched in the progenitor cell population.
More specifically, I aim to address two main questions:
1 - Is the nuclear landscape (chromatin accessibility and TFs combinations) important to control the response to high oncogenic signals? And how much of this response relies on the activity of pioneer transcription factors?
2 - What is the role of the lncRNAs in controlling cellular response to Hippo signalling?
A better understanding of the intrinsic cell state protective mechanisms against transformation is likely to open important new therapeutic approaches for cancer.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3810-193 Aveiro
Portugal
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.