Developing a Means to Inhibit Cancer Metastasis
Principal Investigator: Professor Ziv Gil
The long-term goal of our laboratory is to understand the mechanism that drives cancer cells to resist therapy, invade and metastasize, and eventually to develop the means to inhibit it. Our group focuses on solid tumors such as thyroid and pancreatic cancer.
We have found evidence that the normal cells in the vicinity of tumors secret factors that change its microenvironment and contribute to cancer resistance to treatment, progression and dissemination. The rationale for the research is that once it is known which proteins trigger invasion and metastases, their activity could be targeted pharmacologically in an innovative approach to prevent cancer spread. Our approach is based on newly developed in vitro assays that allow us to image cancer cell locomotion and invasion using video microscopy and live fluorescent imaging.
Furthermore, novel in vivo genetic models that were developed in the laboratory allow us monitoring of cancer cell invasion and proliferation using high resolution imaging modalities. The staff of the laboratory consists of a multidisciplinary research team from different fields including: molecular biology, neurobiology, oncology, surgery, imaging, protein analysis and pathology. The scientific environment at the lab allows the students and researchers to master technologies directed at investigating cancer cells in their natural environment and to obtain training in applied cancer research.
Meet the Gil Ziv Lab Team>