Cancer stem cells

Overview

Support assay development and evaluation for the collection and analysis of CSC pathways inhibition in clinical trials.

Quantifying the Effect of Notch Inhibition on Tumour-Initiating Cells in Early Phase Trials of Gamma-Secretase Inhibitor (R04929097) in Advanced, Triple Negative Breast Cancer and Other Solid Tumours

Lead principal investigator: Michael Reedijk, University Health Network.

Co-applicants: Laurie Ailles, Amit Oza, Lillian Siu, Ming-Sound Tsao (University Health Network).

Objective: To establish cancer stem cell (CSC) based end points in evaluating therapies that target the Notch pathway.

Goals:

• Assess if clinical outcomes to Notch inhibition will correlate with measurable parameters including CSC frequency and Notch biomarker profile;
• Establish breast and other solid tumor xenograft models to be used to study Notch therapeutics and CSC;
• Develop and establish SOPs.