The last decades of research in oncology have demonstrated the existence of a distinct population of tumor cells, named cancer stem cells (CSC) with a central role in tumor spread and drug resistance. Inside the tumor cell population, some cancer cells are called “differentiated cells” and express specific cellular and molecular biomarkers associated with differentiation, while other cells are more immature and present some other distinct features. These cells are also known as “cancer stem cells”. This Skłodowska-Curie Action “Development of new therapeutic treatments targeting cancer stem cells” looks at how trigger this specific population of cancer cells, and how to conceive new anti-cancer drugs.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounts for 30% of leukemia in adults. This blood cancer affects nearly 18,000 new people each year in Europe. It is characterized by an excessive and continuous production of abnormal and immature blood cells within the bone marrow and the blood circulation. Intensive chemotherapies currently in use, however, fail to eradicate leukemic stem cells. These dormant cells do not divide but remain a constant threat for the patients. Indeed, even if they are quiescent cells, they are able to wake up and can be responsible of cancer relapse. They can cause leukemia to progress to a more aggressive or to an anti-cancer treatment-resistant form. Destroying these cancer stem cells is therefore the main objective of this project.
The objectives of this project are to (a) collaborate with medical chemists to design new molecules; (b) test all the synthetic compounds in vitro for anti-cancer capacity and toxicity, and (c) develop a platform for drug discovery. A parallel goal of the MSCA Individual Fellowship is also to foster the development of the individual researcher. It would bridge academy with industry and will bring invaluable complementary scientific and soft skills to a researcher with an ideal background in drug development.
