UNIDAD DE CANCEROLOGÍA Y CITOESQUELETO
OBJETIVOS
Como objetivos centrales nos proponemos :
- Caracterizar la organización de la corteza celular y establecer su rol en el desarrollo de la metástasis peritoneal de cáncer de ovario.
- Estudiar las proteínas ERMs y canales iónicos de 2 poros como potenciales biomarcadores de malignidad en CO usando muestras de pacientes.
- Estudiar factores ambientales (fluido ascítico intraperitoneal y tejidos intraabdominales) que favorecen la migración y diseminación de las células tumorales en el ambiente celómico.
- Formar recursos humanos altamente capacitados en el área de la investigación biomédica en carcinogénesis.
- Generar productos biotecnológicos con finalidad traslacional en el sector de la salud poblacional y clínica.
Para llevar a cabo esta tarea se utilizan técnicas bioquímicas y de biología celular y molecular, y microscopía y videomicroscopía de alta resolución. Realizamos nuestros estudios in vitro en cultivos en 2D y crecimiento de esferas celulares en 3D; contamos además con muestras de biopsias humanas provistas por HNC y la Maternidad Nacional.
Currently, Patricia Kunda´s lab is interested in the development of the ovarian cancer disease. Ovary cancer is mainly asymptomatic in its initial stages of development, therefore frequently diagnosed at later stages resulting in an elevated mortality rate. Throughout the process of metastasis, tumoral cells are moved by the flow of the coelomic fluid into the peritoneal cavity. In the coelomic environment metastatic cells form multicellular spheres that can adhere to the peritoneum as well as other intraabdominal tissues. Given this particular etiology of the metastatic process, there is an essential need for the understanding of the peritoneal dissemination and tumoral growth. Our objectives combined basic and translational research to achieve a better diagnostic and effective therapeutic strategies.
Objectives
We propose as central objectives to:
A. Characterize the organization of the cell cortex and establish its role in the development of peritoneal ovarian cancer metastasis.
B. Evaluate the ERM proteins and two-pore ionic channels as potential biomarkers of malignancy in ovary cancer, using patient biopsies.
C. Analyze the environmental factors (intraperitoneal ascitic fluid and intraabdominal tissues) that contribute to migration and dissemination of tumoral cells in the coelomic environment.
D. Develop highly capacitated human resources in the field of biomedical carcinogenesis research.
We use biochemical, molecular and cell biology techniques, including microscopy and high resolution confocal microscopy. We conduct our in-vitro studies on 2D cell cultures and 3D cell-spheres; additionally for clinical correlation studies, we get human biopsies provided by the National Clinic’s Hospital and National Maternity.
PROYECTOS/RESEARCH
MIEMBROS/MEMBERS
Profesora Asistente (Simple) Instituto de Virología (UNC).
