Investigating intercellular interactions in cancer using spatial modelling Seminar

Abstract:

Cancers are made-up of both cancer cells and various types of normal cell, creating the “tumour microenvironment”. We know that interactions between these different cells are critical to how long a patient will survive, but we are yet to fully understand why this is.

Cells can communicate with each other by producing specific molecules that are recognised by other cells near them. We have developed methods that enable the location of different cells in the tumour microenvironment to be identified. This has shown that the spatial distribution of different cells throughout a tumour is linked to patient prognosis and response to treatments.

We are now looking to initiate interdisciplinary collaborations to enable further exploration of these datasets. We hypothesise that tumours are comprised of spatially discrete cellular niches or “neighbourhoods” where specific cell-types interact, which can either promote or suppress tumour growth. Identifying these niches will improve our understanding of how cells communicate within the tumour microenvironment and enable the development of novel lung cancer treatments.

Speaker Information

Dr Matthew Ellis, Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton

Dr Chris Hanley , Senior Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton