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The Tom Wheatcroft grant (Cell Movement and DNA repair)
11th April 2011
Title: Cell Movement and DNA repair in cancer cells: are they interrelated?
Awarded to: Dr Eugene Tulchinsky
Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine
Commencement: September 2011
In normal cells, DNA is continuously damaged, but this damage can also be repaired. If DNA is not repaired, this may cause mutations which contribute to further cancer development.
Once cancer has developed, cancer cells show DNA instability and they also acquire the capability to move, enabling cancer to spread to other parts of the body.
In our laboratory, we have found a mechanistic link between the acquisition of this ability to spread and the defects in the recognition and repair of damaged DNA. This indicates that cancer cells which metastasize to distant organs contain very unstable DNA. By rapidly and continually changing their DNA, cancer cells can develop new characteristics making them difficult to kill.
Our aim is to understand the biology connecting tumour cell motility, defects in DNA repair and the development of mutations. We believe our findings will open up new possibilities for cancer therapy.
Scientifc version available on request
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