Nilakshi Kulathunga is studying a protein found at high levels in neuroendocrine tumours to understand how it affects cancer progression and response to treatment.
Neuroendocrine tumours are generally slow-growing tumours that arise from hormone-producing cells and are most commonly found in the pancreas and intestines. Although rare, accounting for only 1 in 50 cases of cancer, the incidence is rising and new treatment strategies to increase survival are needed.
With funding from the Canadian Cancer Society and the Terry Fox Research Institute, Nilakshi is working with a team to investigate the role of a protein called HMGB3 in neuroendocrine tumour progression and response to radiation therapy. Building on their previous work, the researchers will use cells and 3D miniature structures of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours growing in a dish, animal studies and computer-based analyses to understand how HMGB3 interacts with other proteins and influences cancer cell function and response to radiation therapy.
If successful, this work would provide a new understanding of what HMGB3 does in neuroendocrine tumours and its role in response to radiation therapy, which could lead to better treatment options for people with neuroendocrine tumours.