Professor Banafshe Larijani, Cell Biophysics Laboratory, Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology (PiE) & Biofísika Instituto (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, Spain.
Tuesday 9th May, 1.00 p.m., Stacey Lecture Theatre 1
Currently there is a transition point in cancer research, towards a need for a more profound understanding of molecular heterogeneity in various types of tumours as well as a sensitive and specific quantitative methodology for analysis of the activation status of biomarkers. Therefore, we developed of an innovative, portable approach to assess proteomic heterogeneity as well as activation status of biomarkers, which is a crucial contribution to the field of cancer research.
To date studies of endogenous proteins using various imaging tools have been limited due to the lack of sensitivity. Here we were able to identify molecular heterogeneity of various established oncoproteins such as PKB/Akt, between different regions of interest within the same tumour core and between various cores within the same patient. We have sought to explore the clinical relevance and molecular mechanisms underlying the activation of various types of PI3kinase related biomarkers in various types of cancer.
Our findings have the potential of determining a quantification parameter for molecular heterogeneity with a high degree of specificity, a major advance in cancer proteomics, diagnosis and prognosis.