Cancer Cell Biology Research
A dividing breast cancer cell.
Research in cancer cell biology seeks to define the biological basis underlying the differences between normal cells and cancer cells and to elucidate basic mechanisms that drive the development and behavior of tumors. Mechanistic understanding of this biology and the fundamental processes governing transformation is critical for identifying molecular targets for therapeutic or preventive intervention.
Research in this area is supported and directed by the Cancer Cell Biology Branch (CCBB).
Cancer Cell Metabolism
Research in cancer cell metabolism focuses on altered cellular metabolic pathways that support the cancer phenotype, which is characterized by unchecked cell proliferation, resistance to metabolic and oxidative stress, ability to evade programmed cell death, reduced dependence on growth factor signals, insensitivity to growth inhibitory signals, and resistance to therapeutic interventions.
Key research areas include:
- Oncogenic reprogramming of cellular metabolism (e.g., the Warburg Effect, glutamine addiction, upregulated fatty acid metabolism)
- The links between protein translation, ribosome biogenesis, and metabolism
- Tumor metabolite profiling and characterization
- Regulation and mechanisms of nutrient, metabolic intermediate, and ion transport in cancer cells
Emerging areas relevant to this research include understanding the molecular link between body homeostasis and cancer cell biology including the intersection between obesity and cancer, the metabolic plasticity of cancer cells, the mechanisms of diet and fasting effects on cancer initiation and maintenance, and the molecular mechanisms that lead to cancer cachexia.
Cancer Cell Stress Responses
Research in cancer cell stress responses focuses on the cell’s reaction to intrinsic and environmental stressors that determine whether a cell will die or adapt to survive. Examples of the types of stress included in this research area are oxidative stress, oncogenic stress, accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins, hypoxia, metal-ion, chemotherapy, and inflammation.
Key research areas include:
- Mechanisms of cell death (e.g., apoptosis, necrosis/necroptosis, autophagy, anoikis, ferroptosis, and other forms of programmed/non-programmed cell death)
- Recycling of cellular components in response to stress (e.g., autophagy, mitophagy, lipophagy)
- ER stress and the unfolded protein response
- Altered processing of growth factors and their associated receptors
- Mechanisms of cellular control of toxic byproducts from biological processes (e.g., redox control)
Emerging areas relevant to this research include mechanisms of iron homeostasis and associated protein functions, including understanding the global effects of iron accumulation.
Organelle Biology
Research in the area of organelle biology investigates the dysregulation of organelle biology in driving or supporting the cancer phenotype.
Key research areas include:
- Dysregulated organelle biogenesis and function (e.g., mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, lysosomes, lipid droplets, peroxisomes, endosomes, and cilia)
- Processing and trafficking of intracellular membranes and proteins
- Endocytosis and endosome sorting and recycling
- Interactions between nuclear-encoded oncogenic proteins and mitochondrial function
- Role of cell organelles in cancer-associated phenotypes
Emerging areas relevant to this research include inter-organelle communication among the nucleus, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum, and the intersection between organelle structure/morphology and the phenotypic state or function of cancer cells.
Cancer Cell Cycle Control
Cell cycle dysregulation is a hallmark of cancer, and cell cycle components have been aggressively targeted in chemotherapeutic strategies. Research in this area focuses on altered cell cycle regulation and its contribution to oncogenic transformation and tumor maintenance.
Key research areas include:
- Characterization of factors that regulate cell cycle, mitosis, cytokinesis, centrosome duplication, and DNA replication in cancer cells
- Alternative, kinase-independent functions of cell cycle regulators
- Mechanisms that alter protein stability and function of cell cycle components in cancer cells, including proteasome-mediated degradation and protein modifications (e.g., ubiquitylation, sumoylation, neddylation)
- Understanding the biological effects of cell cycle inhibitors in tumors, either alone or in combination with other therapies
Emerging areas relevant to this research include the elucidation of nutrient-sensing cell cycle checkpoints, mechanisms of resistance to CDK inhibitors, and understanding mechanisms that allow for the bypass of cell cycle checkpoints.
Post-transcription Regulations Influencing Cancer
Research in this area investigates the mechanisms and functional effects of post-transcription regulations that affect the cancer phenotype.
Key research areas include:
- Altered mechanisms of RNA stability, splicing, transport, and mRNA translation
- Regulation and mechanisms of alternative splicing in cancer
- The role of non-coding RNAs and RNA binding proteins in the regulation of splicing, translation, and mRNA stability
- Translation factors that act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors
- Changes in protein maturation, stability, and post-translation modifications, including modifications of signaling effectors (e.g., promotors and drivers of tumorigenesis or cancer progression)
Emerging areas relevant to this research include the study of chemical modifications to RNAs and proteins that affect their stability, trafficking, RNA splicing and translation, and protein function, development of novel technologies for efficient profiling of these modifications, and the interplay of different modifications and their alterations in cancer.
Basic Mechanisms of Cell Transformation
Research in this area includes mechanisms and effectors that govern the transition from normal cell to cancer cell and the identification of early biological events in transformation including the role of tumor-initiating cells, field cancerization, and early lesions.
Key research areas include:
- Functional and molecular characterization of oncogenes and tumor suppressors
- Oncogenic signal transduction and their rewiring
- The biology of tumor-initiating cells and cancer stem cells
- Role of developmental and cell differentiation programs in preneoplasia and cancer
- Senescence as an oncogenic or tumor suppressive mechanism, the relationship between quiescence and senescence states, and the relationship between senescence, aging, and cancer
Emerging areas relevant to this research include the paradoxical roles of proteins as oncogenes and tumor suppressors, cell lineage plasticity and relationships, and the biology of tumor cells of origin and their interactions with niche factors.
Biospecimen Resources to Support Cancer Biology Research
DCB supports the development of projects that also aim to collect, store, process, and disseminate human biological specimens—including nucleic acids and tissue arrays—and associated data for studies of human cancer biology, particularly early events in oncogenic transformation.