Invasion of epithelial tumors
Cell invasion, Mechanotransduction, metastasis
Research aim
Our goal is to uncover how cancer cells invade healthy tissues around tumors, driving local cancer spread and distant metastasis. Understanding cell invasion will guide targeted therapies to reduce tumor dissemination, enhancing patient outcomes.
About us
Cancer metastasis is the major cause of death in patients. We focus on an initial step in metastasis, cancer invasion. Invasion drives the movement of cancer cells into the healthy tissue surrounding tumors. To move efficiently into the tissue, cancer cells rely on mechanotransduction, wherein physical signals from neighboring cells and the extracellular matrix are converted into intracellular biochemical signals, altering cellular behavior. Our research, centered on epithelial tumors (incl. breast cancers), explores how cancer cells perceive and respond to their environment to accomplish successful invasion and tissue colonization. We use various techniques including analyzing patient samples, 3D in vitro and in vivo models using patient-derived organoids. Complemented by molecular interference, tissue biomechanics manipulation, transcriptomics, and live microscopy, we aim to identify extracellular cues and signaling pathways crucial for invasion. Our research not only reveals how cancer cells invade tissues but also has promising clinical applications. By targeting cell invasion, we aim to confine tumor cells and prevent their spread. This approach complements treatments targeting proliferation, offering a comprehensive strategy to improve patient outcomes. We foster a multidisciplinary approach, partnering with pathologists and computational scientists to tackle cancer invasion from different angles with the ultimate goal of reducing the burden of invasive cancers.