74 research grants awarded for 2018-2019

Several clinical studies suggest that the development of cachexia is associated with very poor cancer outcome, leading to the idea that cachexia is the main reason of death in many types of cancer. Unfortunately, we still do not fully understand how this loss of muscle comes about. Javier Clemente Casares’ work aims to understand the link between cancerous tumours and some cells of the immune system, that could result in this loss of muscle. A better understanding of the causes of cachexia could help reverse the process to improve life conditions and survival chances for cancer patients.

Chemotherapy treatments cause stress in the environment of the tumor, destabilizing its access to energy and resources, and leading to cancer cell death. However, in some cancers such as triple negative breast cancer, cancer cells have the ability to adapt and survive treatments by transforming their own identity. Geneviève Dubois’ work aims at identifying the mechanisms by which cancer cells adapt in a the toxic environment of chemotherapy. A better understanding would be a first step to know how to weaken cancer cells by keeping them from mutating to resist treatments.

There are many subtypes of breast cancer. Both the cell in which cancer begins and the causative mutation, impact the cancer subtype and its aggressiveness. However, the way these two factors are intertwined is unknown. Hartland Jackson seeks to deepen the knowledge about the early development of certain subtypes of breast cancer. He will examine 50 of the most common genetic aberrations known to cause cancer, to determine their role in early cancer development and define subtypes of cells involved. For each of these subtypes, potential for aggressivity will be evaluated along with their interaction with the immune system.The identification of common patterns in the early development these different subtypes of breast cancer will be points to focus on for the development of new therapeutic and preventive options.