Cancer Genetics and Cancer Stem Cells

We are interested in the characterisation of adult stem cells (from the mammary gland, nervous system and mesenchymal stem cells) and their relationship with cancer stem cells.

Using monoclonal antibodies against surface markers of neural stem cells and neuroblasts we can measure the migration of these cells in response to brain damage. The marker identifying the neural stem cells also recognises a subpopulation on human gliomas, and want to determine whether this antibody identifies the cancer stem cells in these tumors, as well as the possibility of using them as therapeutic antibodies.

We are also analysing the possibility of using an anti-CCR9 mAb as therapeutic antibody against human tumors expressing this antigen. In xenografts the anti-CCR9 mAbs inhibit 70-85% of the growth of human tumors.