Investigation into the role of YB-1 in childhood sarcomas

Metastatic tumors are a major concern in childhood cancer and the single most prominent cause of patient mortality. Metastasis is a complex process involving several cellular processes, each of which involves numerous extra and intracellular events. Therapeutic targeting strategies are hampered by a large degree of redundancy in the systems controlling metastatic behaviour and by the lack of specific markers associated with tumor dissemination. Identifying markers that distinguish the metastatic cancer cell from benign or healthy tissue would revolutionize current therapy and greatly improve the outcome for patients battling childhood cancer. This internship study will investigate potential tool(s) for diagnosing and possibly treating high-risk pediatric malignancies.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Poul Sorenson

Student:

Amal El- Naggar

Partner:

BC Cancer Agency

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of British Columbia