GASTRIN PRECURSORS · The role of gastrin precursors in pre-malignant and malignant gastrointestinal tumour growth

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Project objective

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a major health issue due to late presentation of the disease. Advances are required both in early detection and chemoprophylaxis.The aim of this Marie Curie Intra-Europe Fellowship is to focus on a central pathway in the development of Gl cancer, the long-term objective being to reduce Gl cancer incidence within the EU, which is in line with the cancer strategy of the 6th Research Framework Programme.The hormone gastrin plays a central role in Gl malignant progression by increasing expression of invasive enzymes and growth factors, which influence angiogenesis and apoptosis. Serum detection of gastrin peptides may identify high-risk patients, and defining their action may create new targets for chemoprophylactic modalities. The objective of the fellowship is to establish synergistic links between two major groups, in the UK and Poland, with established academic credentials in the gastrin field and additional researchers based within the EU.Transferable skills from Poland will provide a platform from which to exploit new molecular and protein-based innovations within the UK. State-of-the-art techniques involving microarray, proteomics and interfering RNA will be at the forefront of the training component of the project. The programme is strengthened by access to retrospective clinical samples available from Gl screening programmes within the UK.The proposed programme is relevant to the European Research Area as it will benchmark gastrin as a research strength within the EU and consolidate the research infrastructure in the two participating centres resulting in the establishment of a research network and thus increasing competitiveness for future EU funding. Intellectual property generated will expand the level of private income through the development of both diagnostic tests and new targets for chemoprophylactic drug development.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM · NOTTINGHAMCoordinatorUnited Kingdom

Links

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