Cell adhesion and cancer progression
Derksen, Metastasis, Preclinical oncology
Research aim
We aim to understand how changes in cell-cell and cell-ECM contacts drive tumor progression. Combining basic science with preclinical efforts, to implement our results into daily clinical practice.
About us
Using a combination of genomics, biochemistry and cell biology, we work towards a better understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of metastatic cancer. We have a particular interest and focus on Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC), and the aggressive types triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We are studying how carcinoma cells control anchorage independence, their cell cycle regulation, and invasive and metastatic phenotype. Finding from the lab are tested in preclinical trials using mouse models of metastatic cancer and large patient cohorts with clinicopathological follow-up. Our lab has long-standing collaborations with the Netherlands Cancer Institute, ICR London, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Hannover Medical School, KU Leuven and McMasters Ontario.
Financial support is currently provided by KWF, Health~Holland, NWO, Breast Cancer Now, and the European Union. Our lab is founder and Chair of the European Lobular Breast Cancer Consortium (www.elbcc.org).