Project description
Predictive biomarkers of prostate cancer radiotherapy response
Prostate cancer frequently spreads to the bone, representing one of the most challenging aspects of the disease. Radium-223 is the only approved radioactive therapy that extends survival. However, predicting which patients will benefit remains impossible with current tools. Identifying reliable blood-based biomarkers is therefore an urgent clinical need. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the CTC-RADAR project focuses on circulating tumour cells in the blood to identify molecular signatures that predict response to radium-223. Researchers have discovered a promising metabolic pathway linked to treatment resistance and will investigate its mechanistic role using genetic and pharmacological tools. The goal is to develop the first validated biomarker panel for radiotherapy outcome prediction in prostate cancer.
Objective
Bone metastases are a hallmark of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and remain a major therapeutic challenge. Ra-223 is the only approved alpha-emitting radiopharmaceutical that prolongs survival in this setting. Radiographic monitoring is difficult and PSA responses are uncommon, underscoring the need for predictive biomarkers. Despite this clinical need, no blood-based biomarker panel currently exists to stratify patients for Ra-223 or to mechanistically inform radioresponse.
CTC-RADAR (Circulating Tumor Cell-informed RADioresponse Assessment from heme-axis signatuRes) addresses this gap by leveraging CTC transcriptomes to define functional biomarkers. Analyses of pre-Ra-223 CTCs compared between responders and non-responders revealed strong enrichment of heme-metabolism programs (NES > 4) in the non-responder group. Within this enrichment, MFRN1 and FECH emerged as leading-edge genes, nominating the MFRN1–FECH axis as a candidate determinant of radioresponse.
Building on these findings, CTC-RADAR will (i) define a CTC-based heme signature from responder vs non-responder comparisons, (ii) test the mechanistic role of the MFRN1–FECH axis through genetic and pharmacologic perturbations, and (iii) identify DNA damage–repair liabilities using a focused CRISPR dropout screen in heme-high, non-responder–like models. By integrating patient-derived CTC transcriptomes with functional assays, CTC-RADAR will deliver the first systematic evaluation of radioresponse defined by a CTC-driven heme signature and uncover clinically actionable DDR vulnerabilities with translational relevance for therapy development. In the longer term, prospective clinical studies could be designed to test and validate this signature, paving the way for its integration into patient care.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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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
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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34450 Istanbul
Türkiye
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