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 and
iii) 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 (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.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors biosensors
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology colorectal cancer
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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.
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.
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.
FP6-2005-LIFESCIHEALTH-6
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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.
Coordinator
GENÈVE 4
Switzerland
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.