| Project title | Growth factor mediated suppression of TGF-B signalling enhances brain tumour development |
|---|---|
Grant Amount | $40,000 |
Institution | University of Melbourne |
Investigator Team | Principal investigator Dr. Rodney Luwor |
Grant Type | Fellowship |
Years | 2007 – 2008 |
Cells become cancerous when they lose the ability to regulate their own internal signalling networks, leading to continuous and uncontrolled cell division. Dr. Luwor aims to examine how a signalling network within brain cancer cells (EGF signalling network) regulates or affects the activation of another signalling pathway, called the TGF-B3 signalling network.
Preliminary findings have discovered that these two networks do indeed “cross-talk” leading to enhanced tumour development. Therefore, by specifically pinpointing the key signalling molecules which cause this enhanced tumour growth, we can design therapeutic strategies to block these signalling molecules and in-turn block brain tumour development and progression.
Progress
The Cure for Life Foundation funding has allowed our research group to study the interactions between 2 very important signalling networks, Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-P) in malignant brain tumours (Glioblastoma). We established that these 2 signalling pathways do indeed interact (“cross-talk”), with this interaction potentially promoting brain tumour development and progression. With this knowledge we can now attempt to block or manipulate these pathways in the aim to slow down or inhibit brain tumour growth.