About us
The CRUK Beatson Institute where the candidate will be based is a world leading cancer research institute, situated in the vibrant city of Glasgow in Scotland and hosting approximately 60 doctoral researchers at any one time. It has an excellent reputation for fundamental cancer research, including world-class metabolism studies and renowned in vivo modelling of tumour growth and metastasis.
McNab Centre
One of the main challenges that we face in treating cancer is the likelihood that, at the time of diagnosis, malignant cells have already left the primary tumour and spread to other organs. Thus, even following complete removal of the primary tumour, disseminated cells can reside within 'metastatic niches' only to reappear later as metastasis. Drugs often fail to reverse this spread, leading to tumour re-emergence.
With a kind bequest, we are using new and innovative approaches to reverse cancer spread. The McNab Centre for Cancer Innovation, led by Chiara Braconi, Jim Norman, and Ross Cagan, is designed to create new technologies that identify and target the vulnerabilities of cancers once they have spread from the primary site. We are developing sophisticated bioengineered human tissue assembloids and other technologies—including mouse and Drosophila models—to recapitulate the microenvironments that are encountered in the liver, bone, and lungs by metastatic cancers. We are combining these approaches with a novel ‘chemical evolution’ approach to developing a new generation of drugs designed to treat metastasis to these organs. See McNab Centre website for more details: www.mcnabcentre.org
Project Description
Spheres composed of hepatocytes, sinusoidal endothelial and/or stellate cells will be used to develop and refine a model of the liver metastatic niche in parallel with analysis from in vivo genetic mouse models and human samples. The unique contribution of the cancer driver mutation(s), cancer types (e.g., pancreatic vs colorectal) will be considered in the context of how new metastases are established and which vulnerabilities might be actionable for new therapies. You will work as part of a unique team that emphasises innovation to reverse cancer metastasis.
To apply, and for further details on the application process, please click ‘Institute website’. Please do not email your CV.
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