Funded by the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund
The nucleus is the largest structure in the cell, and among other functions it protects our DNA, which makes life as we know it possible. Cells constantly experience mechanical/physical stress while growing or moving within the tissues of our body. Importantly, the nucleus constantly senses the mechanical stress that cells experience in our body. In doing so, the nucleus constitutes an important structure controlling cell function in both health and disease, such as cancer. The tumor is composed of many cell types (including cells of our immune system) and often imposes to cells and their nuclei physical stress. Such physical stress might lead to nuclear deformations, with important consequences to cancer progression. We will investigate how nuclear deformations (often observed in breast cancer) regulate the function of the cells in our immune system and their activity against cancer cells. This will contribute to understanding the biology of cancer progression and how the cells of our immune system fight cancer cells. Additionally, determining how mechanical stress regulates communication between different cell types is critical for understanding how diseases initiate and progress. Toward this end we will perform laboratory experiments with mouse and study patient cancer samples. Our project will provide a connection between the mechanical stress experienced by the nucleus (both in cancer cells and in cells of our immune system) and patient clinical data, opening new options for the treatment of cancer.
