Nguyen, Phuong-Hien - CAP 19
Deciphering the functional relevance and signal transduction network of protein kinases in the tumor microenvironment
Dr. Phuong-Hien Nguyen
Clinic I for Internal Medicine
CMMC - PI - A 09 and CAP 19
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Clinic I for Internal Medicine
Joseph-Stelzmann Str. 26
50931 Cologne
Introduction
Tremendous advances in cancer therapy have been made with the development of kinase inhibitors targeting protein kinases, with prominent examples being inhibitors of oncogenic receptor kinases that have substantially improved patient outcomes.
The definition of cancer hallmarks has significantly expanded in the last decades and cancer is no longer considered a disease of only malignant cells, but a highly complex tissue comprising tumor cells and their tumor microenvironment (TME). All components of the TME interact with tumor cells and with each other in a complex multidirectional manner to promote malignant progression.
Our research is based on the finding that tyrosine kinases are also functionally essential for the creation of a proneoplastic, microenvironmental niche. The distinct, cell-type specific patterns of substrate activation induced by kinases may lead to a differential activation of transcription factors and, as a consequence, to a cell type-specific modulation of cellular functions.
Figure 1
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Clinical Relevance
Because many kinase inhibitors are readily available, understanding these kinases’ functions in the TME will be useful to design improved anti-cancer therapies, particularly to target the immune- and metastatic niches.
Approach
Employ and combine state-of-the-art methodologies including CRISPR/Cas9-based screening, high-throughput functional assays, complex model systems and advanced drug delivery methods to investigate the interactions of tumor cells and their respective immune microenvironment, aiming to identify actionable targets in the TME across multiple cancer entities.
Lab Website
For more information, please check Laboratory for tumor-host interdependence at University Hospoital Cologne or check the Research Website.
Affiliations
- CRC / SFB 1530
- Center for Integrated Oncology
- CRU 286 - Exploiting defects in the DNA damage response for the development of novel, targeted CLL therapy