Graduate Student, Centre for Immunology and Infection
President and Co-founder of the Stromal Immunology Society www.stroma.org.uk
Thesis Title: The Role of Stroma Microenvironments in Prostate Cancer Stem Cell Growth, Migration and Metastasis
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Dr Mark Coles
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About
Terminal prostate cancer is the result of metastatic spread of a tumour from the prostate to bone marrow and other secondary sites. Although in vitro assays have been developed to screen for inhibitors of prostate cancer metastasis, they routinely utilise cell lines that do not simulate the complexity of the in vivo tumour microenvironment. Therefore there is a requirement to develop novel in vitro models that recapitulating the in vivo tumour microenvironment. Utilising a 3D spheroid model incorporating primary tumour stroma with prostate cancer cells we have utilised multiphoton imaging to analyse the molecular mechanisms of stromal cell mediated prostate cancer metastasis, allowing identification of potential novel therapeutic targets. Prostate Cancer Stem (PCS) cells have previously been shown to have an essential role in tumour formation and thus might be the key cell type involved in productive secondary metastasis. However the molecular mechanisms of the differential capacity for stroma to promote PCS migration is unknown. Through the application of this in vitro model the metastatic potential of different cell types and associated molecular mechanism can be determined.
Contact Information
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