Basic Science > Cell Growth and Division

While it has long been appreciated that reduced genome stability underlies many of the processes leading to the formation of malignant tumours, many of the basic cell biological mechanisms remain unclear.

Many tumours are characterised by their highly aneuploid state and the presence of multiple centrosomes. These are key indicators that reductions in the fidelity of chromosome segregation and cytokinesis are important for malignant transformation. An understanding of the basic cell biological processes required for cell division is therefore important for understanding how aberrant mitosis and cytokinesis promote genome instability.

The aim of the current research programmes is to provide a basic understanding of human cell division. The specific focus is on the function of protein kinases, phosphatases, and kinesin motor proteins in mitosis. All of these protein families are currently of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry as drug targets. Since mitosis is critical for normal cell growth as well as tumour cell proliferation however, it is important to identify which members of these protein families could be specifically targeted in tumours.

Paradoxically, drugs that target both normal and tumour cells may kill tumour cells, while promoting normal cells to become abnormal and form a reservoir of aneuploid cells that could later go on to form tumours. Basic research into cell division will therefore allow us to identify novel and specific targets for the development of new therapies to aid in the treatment of human cancers. This goal will require the expertise of groups in Chemistry and Pharmacology which form a critical part of the Centre.

Longer term goals that will be greatly facilitated by the Centre are to establish models for human disease that will enable us to test and validate the novel therapeutic targets identified through this research.

Groups specialising in this field:
Dr Steve Royle