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Exploring the Switch Between Mesenchymal and Amoeboid Cancer Cell Migration Using Microfluidics and MATLAB Based Analysis of Live Cell Imaging

Research image

Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer related deaths. Crucially, any potential treatment of metastasis, which may target increased migration, needs to take into account that cancer cell migration is plastic, i.e. that cancer cells can easily switch between a mesenchymal and a contractility driven amoeboid migration mode. The latter mode can be induced by confining cells. However, it is not known how cancer cells can actively switch between these two modes. In this project, you will explore a novel mechanosensor that may act as a physiological switch between mesenchymal and amoeboid 3D cancer cell migration.

Disciplines and Techniques
Project supervisor/s
Dr. Matthias Krause
Matthias's research focuses on the elucidation of mechanisms that regulate cytoskeletal remodelling during cell migration and axon guidance.
King's College London
Professor Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Victoria's research is to decipher how the cytoskeleton controls cancer via cross-talk with the transcriptional machinery.
Queen Mary University of London
References
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2008 Oct 31
Steering cell migration: lamellipodium dynamics and the regulation of directional persistence
Krause M, Gautreau A.
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2014 Sep;15
Lamellipodin promotes invasive 3D cancer cell migration via regulated interactions with Ena/VASP and SCAR/WAVE
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Physical influences of the extracellular environment on cell migration
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2014 Dec;15
Regional Activation of Myosin II in Cancer Cells Drives Tumor Progression via a Secretory Cross-Talk with the Immune Microenvironment
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2019 Feb 7