Esophageal cancer responds poorly to currently available therapies, and treatment outcomes remain poor. One factor to contribute to this is the abundance of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In many esophageal tumors, these CAFs outnumber the cancer cells to form a dense
stroma. Despite their abundance, the exact contributions of CAFs to tumor progression and therapy resistance remain largely elusive.
Based on knowledge obtained in other cancer types, different types of CAFs are thought to exist, each with divergent and possibly counteracting contributions to tumor biology. Failed clinical studies with compounds against CAFs underscore the notion that our understanding of these cells is insufficient to effectively target them. In this project, the different populations of CAFs in esophageal cancer will be identified and targeted to improve treatment outcomes for this disease.
In this KWF-funded project, you will be investigating the different types of CAFs we hypothesize to exist in esophageal cancer.
- To solve important unanswered questions, you will apply modern methodologies including organoid cocultures, single cell sequencing, gene expression analysis, spatial profiling, and gene editing;
- You will report on your findings in regular work meetings, conferences, and scientific publications in reputable journals;
- You will supervise undergraduate students.