LOBULAR BREAST CANCER
Using E-cadherin mutational inactivation as a starting point, we study how ILC cells control their anchorage independence, cell cycle regulation, and invasive and metastatic phenotype. We ultimately aim at translation of our results into daily pathological diagnosis and cancer treatment for patients with metastatic disease. Over the past 20 years, our work has helped to lay a biochemical foundation for clinical phase intervention trials specifically for ILC (Rolo; NCT03620643, Rosaline; NCT04551495, NeoAKT; NCT05919108. The biochemical, cell biological and preclinical experiments that led to the current intervention rationales can be found here.
We centralize our strategical efforts around the mission statement from the European Lobular Breast Cancer, the ELBCC, which we founded in the autumn of 2018.
Go to the designated ILC Project page.
THE NON-RECEPTOR TYROSINE KINASE FER
FER was initially picked up as a candidate HIF target in breast cancer. While this turned out to be a false-positive finding, it became clear that high FER levels correlated strongly with breast cancer aggressiveness in clinical samples. In 2022 we identified FER as a predictive biomarker for taxane responses in high grade breast cancers, especially triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Based on the possible clinical ramifications we have pursued the impact of FER in high grade Breast and Head and Neck cancer, which identified FER as a central player controlling invasive growth through endosomal recycling of adhesion and signalling receptors. Our group is currently performing studies to understand the cellular recycling mechanisms that underpin its oncogenic roles and developing interventions therapies targeting FER and its effectors.
