Breast and upper gastrointestinal cancers
Our research interests have evolved from earlier studies exploring oestrogen-dependent breast cancer. Our knowledge of oestrogen-driven breast cancer growth has seen the development of targeted therapies, such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. These therapies are among the earliest and best examples of targeted therapy with validated biomarkers, and remain the mainstay of breast cancer management.
We aim to increase our understanding of the molecular action of oestrogen once bound to specific cellular receptors in order to elucidate the pathways that drive breast cancer and investigate new novel ways to treat the disease.
We have projects designed to understand:
- How oestrogens promote development of breast cancer
- How oestrogens alter gene expression
- How oestrogens alter the behaviour of the breast cancer cells
One interest is how novel drugs that target insulin-like growth factors might work in combination with standard endocrine treatments or in women who do not benefit from endocrine or Herceptin therapy.
Two key molecules in the oestrogen response of breast cancer cells, TFF1 and TFF3, were discovered in the stomach and intestine; this prompted our research interest in cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract. It is particularly important to validate novel drugs in these tumours because they can be difficult to treat, are often diagnosed late, and the incidence of some is increasing rapidly.
Our research encompasses solving the structure of key proteins in collaboration with protein chemists, working with pharmaceutical companies to validate novel drugs and translational research in collaboration with surgeons, pathologists and medical oncologists.
