Details
- Close date
- No date set
- Academic background
- Health Sciences
- Host campus
- Christchurch
- Qualification
- Honours
- Department
- Pathology and Biomedical Science (Christchurch)
- Supervisor
- Dr Martina Paumann-Page, Professor Mark Hampton
Overview
Cancer cell invasion and metastasis is the principal cause of ~90% of cancer deaths and more effective strategies to reduce metastasis are desperately needed to prolong metastasis-free survival and improve patient outcomes.
Cancer cell invasion is a multifaceted not well understood process. We have recently discovered, that peroxidasin promotes cancer cell invasion in invasive metastatic melanoma. Invasive melanoma cells express high amounts of peroxidasin whereas less invasive cells express very little or none. Importantly, we have shown that removal or inhibition of peroxidasin reduces invasion significantly.
We hypothesize that peroxidasin plays a key role in promoting invasion not just in melanoma but also in other cancers, that its levels are indicative of invasiveness and that it represents an excellent target for therapeutic intervention to reduce metastasis.
We will test this hypothesis using high and low peroxidasin expressing breast, lung and kidney cancer cell lines to investigate the correlation of peroxidasin expression and invasiveness using functional 3D invasion assays. The effect of the peroxidasin inhibitor phloroglucinol on invasion will be tested and other compounds will be screened for their inhibitory capacity.
The student will acquire laboratory skills in:
- Cell culture
- ELISA and Western blotting
- Migration and invasion assays including protocol optimisation
- Imaging of cell migration and invasion using a high throughput plate reader microscope
- Peroxidasin activity assays
Preferred student expertise
We are looking for students with an interest in cancer cell biology with an inquisitive mind and attention to detail with a science or health science background.
Further information
This is one of a number of projects on offer from BBiomedSc(Hons) at the University of Otago, Christchurch campus.
Contact
- Contact name
- Dr Martina Paumann-Page
- martina.paumann-page@otago.ac.nz