New Approaches to Molecular Targeting of Breast Cancer

Prof. R Charles Coombes

New Approaches to Molecular Targeting of Breast Cancer Professor R Charles Coombes’ laboratory work focuses on understanding the mechanisms of resistance to endocrine therapy in breast cancer. Two areas are being explored: (a) inhibition of cross-talk between kinases and the estrogen receptor (ER). They have found that phosphorylation of ER is due in part to CDK7, and have made specific CDK7 inhibitors that reverse resistance. (b) notch signalling. Although gamma secretase inhibitors are active, they are toxic and we have approached this by raising monoclonal antibodies to Nicastrin, a component of the complex. These agents are effective in animal models of breast cancer, and may represent new therapies for patients with endocrine resistant breast cancer.

Next Activity

2019/12/13

Atrio 800

Seminar

Structural basis for genome-wide recognition of DNA clusters by SMAD transcription factors

Maria J. Macias, PhD

Previous Activity

2013/09/27