Keyword: Cancer research

SORLA is a protein trafficking receptor that has been mainly studied in neurons, but it also plays a role in cancer cells. Professor Johanna Ivaska’s research group at Turku Bioscience observed that SORLA functionally contributes to the most reported therapy-resistant mechanism by which the cell-surface receptor HER3 counteracts HER2 targeting therapy in HER2-positive cancers. Removing SORLA from cancer cells sensitised anti-HER2 resistant breast cancer brain metastasis to targeted therapy.

A rapid test for ovarian cancer detection developed at the University of Turku has received the international Rapid Testing Innovation Award. The awarded article is part of the dissertation of Doctoral Candidate Sherif Bayoumy. Next, the cancer diagnostics team of the Biotechnology unit at the Department of Biochemistry aims to expand the research to other cancer types.

Researchers at the University of Turku, Finland, have developed a test for ovarian cancer detection with a sensitivity 4.5 times higher than that of the conventional laboratory test. The simple lateral flow test is based on rapid detection of abnormal sugar structures directly from the blood sample.

The University of Turku has entered into a licensing agreement with an international pharma company related to targeting of CIP2A oncoprotein. 

PIM kinases are enzymes that promote metastatic growth and spread of cancer cells. Researchers from the University of Turku, Finland, have obtained new information on how the PIM kinases enhance cancer cell motility by regulating the formation of actin fibres in the cytoskeleton. The published results support the development of PIM-targeted therapies to prevent metastasis formation in cancer patients.

Cancer IO is a new cancer immunotherapy focused top-level collaborative research and innovation project that starts as a part of the Business Finland’s Personalized Health Program. With a total funding of 10 million euros, Cancer IO is a significant IO focused Nordic research and innovation program.

Despite of continuous development in breast cancer treatments, metastases of the most aggressive breast cancer types are still a significant and growing medical problem. Together with a research group at Michigan University, the group of Professor Jukka Westermarck at Turku Bioscience Centre recently received funding from the US Department of Defense for the development of novel treatment strategies for breast cancer metastases.

Researchers from Ghent University, Belgium, together with researchers from the University of Turku, Finland, have developed a new method for biomarker discovery of urological cancers. The method enables timely diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Urological cancers include e.g. prostate, bladder and kidney cancers.

New study from researchers in Finland and the United Kingdom reveals that tumors lacking a protein called BAP1 have an ineffective immune reaction against cancer, thus rendering immunotherapies ineffectual, particularly in uveal melanomas (UM). The researchers also discovered that when BAP1 is lost, other molecules will be present in order to support cancer growth. Luckily, some of these molecules can be targeted with existing drugs, which can lead to the development of novel immunotherapies.

Researchers at the University of Turku, Turku University Central Hospital, and Western Cancer Center (FICAN West) have discovered a new RNA molecule, PRECSIT, which regulates the growth and invasion of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. In the future, PRECSIT could potentially serve as a new marker for the detection of rapidly advancing or spreading squamous cell carcinoma and as a target for new therapies.