Targeting the cells that initiate and maintain tumours with new therapies

The project in a nutshell

Testing blocking a protein called stat3 in cells from men with prostate cancer rather than in cells made in the laboratory.

Why we funded it

Most drugs tested in prostate cancer clinical trials were selected on the basis of how they worked on cells that had been grown and regrown for decades, and no longer looked or behaved like the original tumour cells they were based on. This research should help increase the success rate of clinical trials for prostate cancer and provide information on the cells that are resistant following therapy and how best to target them. 

• For more detailed information on this project, please look at the lay summary (.docx)

Grant information

Institution - University of York
Researcher - Dr Anne Collins
Grant award - £187,426
Duration - 2013-2016
Reference - PG12-01 Collins