CRIS POST-DOC TALENT PROGRAMME 2021
Introduction:
Tumour metastases represent the greatest challenge in cancer research. More than 90% of tumour deaths occur because of the consequences of metastases, yet a great deal is still unknown about the mechanisms that produce metastases and how to combat them.
In many cases, metastatic disease strongly alters the patient’s metabolism and causes the degradation of proteins (e.g. muscle) and fat tissue. This situation, known as cachexia, leads to major weight loss and is associated with a higher mortality. The problem is that this situation is not reversible through nutrition, so we urgently need strategies to curb these situations.
Project:
Dr Blanca Majem is developing an ambitious project to effectively understand and treat metastatic disease associated with cachexia. The strategy is based on previous observations in the laboratory, in which it was determined that certain fatty acids (such as palmitic acid) can alter tumour cells, favouring the triggering of metastasis and setting in motion a whole series of mechanisms that could trigger cachexia. In this project, Dr Majem will explore the molecular mechanisms that lead to cachexia and develop new therapeutic strategies to effectively treat both cachexia and metastasis itself.