CORDIS

This project exploited the powerful planarian model system to achieve novel insights into the molecular processes underpinning oncogenesis and cancer. Based on the principle that biochemical and physiological functions of many genes are conserved across phyla we identified planarian genes that control the migration, proliferation and differentiation of the highly proliferative pluripotent adult stem cells (pASCs). We combined a bespoke specially designed partial irradiation assay, bioinformatic and expression based candidate gene identification and the capacity to perform RNAi based screens of gene function to identify novel genes controlling pASCs that are conserved in humans. Those novel genes of greatest promise can now be studied in mammalian cancer cell lines using the insights gleaned from planarians. This project brought together, for the first time, a world-class planarian laboratory with an eminent cancer cell biologist, Dr Kosaka, who acquired all the expertise required to exploit the planarian system and at the same time transfer his extensive knowledge of cancer biology to the Aboobaker laboratory.
The overall objectives were

i) Provide new insights into the regulation of stem cell biology in planarians,
ii) Leverage of the planarian model to find new genes involved in human cancer,
iii) Direct transfer of this new knowledge to mammalian systems.

The output of this project will now integrate the planarian system with current mammalian cell based approaches to studying cancer.