PhD Studentship – Bioengineering microenvironments for pancreatic cancer cell invasion

Bioengineering microenvironments for pancreatic cancer cell invasion

Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez (University of Glasgow), Laura Machesky (CRUK Beatson Institute)

Pancreatic cancer is among the most deadly and metastatic cancers. Pancreatic tumours have an unusually stiff and dense stroma that might serve as both a barrier and a promoter of metastatic dissemination. We are seeking an enthusiastic student interested in a cross disciplinary project to probe the molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer cell invasion and metastasis. The student will combine bioengineering and cell biology to gain molecular insights into how pancreatic cancer cells invade and metastasise. He/she will perform proteomic analysis to characterise the stroma of pancreatic tumours to engineer specific parameters of the tumour microenvironment such as matrix stiffness, integrin binding sites, cleavable crosslinks and bound growth factors. These parameters will be varied systematically and a panel of pancreatic cancer cells will be analysed for their ability to migrate in 3D. Detailed imaging of the stroma and invading cells will be performed using state-­of-­the art 2-­photon and confocal microscopy and other imaging methods. The student will receive training both in engineering of artificial matrix and in the cell biology of tumours. The aim is to gain insight into which properties of matrix promote spread of pancreatic cancer with the hope of targeting these for future therapies.

More information about the respective labs can be found at:
http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/engineering/staff/manuelsalmeron-sanchez/
http://www.beatson.gla.ac.uk/laura_machesky

Contact manuel.salmeron-sanchez@glasgow.ac.uk for more details.