Objective While cancer survival rates have improved significantly in recent years, survival decreases dramatically after tumour metastasis. One of the most common sites for metastatic tumours to develop is bone. Intriguingly, evidence suggests that once they have invaded the bone marrow, individual metastatic cancer cells can persist for years in a quiescent or “dormant” state, and are resistant to both radiation and chemotherapy treatment. These dormant cells can reside for months or years while the cancer is in remission, and then “reactivate” without warning to form new, usually fatal, skeletal lesions. Tumour cells achieve this by “hijacking” the normal bone remodelling cycle, a homeostatic balance between bone formation and resorption, to form a metastatic niche within the marrow. However, the signalling mechanisms that cause metastasis and dormancy, particularly in such a mechanically active environment, are poorly understood. Therefore, the goal of this project is to investigate the chemical and physical interactions between bone and cancer cells, both during dormancy and mechanical stimulation, to provide new insight into bone metastatic lesions and explore novel therapeutic targets to prevent cancer metastasis. This will be achieved by culturing specific bone and cancer cell types together for the first time to observe changes in their signalling and behaviour. Dormancy will also be induced, to observe its effect on changes in signalling. Mechanical stimulation will be applied to investigate whether the complex mechanical environment of the bone marrow plays a role in cancer metastasis. Finally, a specific cellular mechanosensor, the primary cilium, which has been implicated in the development of cancer and is known to be involved in bone formation, will be investigated. This will shed new light on its chemosensing and mechanobiological roles in cancer metastasis, as well as explore its potential as a novel target for cancer treatment and prevention. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyprostate cancer Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-GF - Global Fellowships Coordinator QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Net EU contribution € 183 792,60 Address 327 MILE END ROAD E1 4NS London United Kingdom See on map Region London Inner London — East Tower Hamlets Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 183 792,60 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK United States Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address AMSTERDAM AVENUE 1210 ROOM 10027 7003 New York See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 86 065,20
