| Molecular Oncology and Breast Cancer Program |
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Cristina Tognon
Photo by Peter Lolley.
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 View Publications
| Department: |
Molecular Oncology and Breast Cancer Program
(@ the BCCRC since 2006) |
| Research Role: |
Research Scientist |
| Education: |
PhD (Medical Genetics), University of British Columbia, Canada, 1999
BSc (Genetics), University of Western Ontario, Canada, 1993
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| Birthplace: |
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada  |
| Phone: |
604-675-8000 ext.7553 |
| Fax: |
675 8218 |
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Research Interests:
In vivo and in vitro models of breast cancer
One out of every nine women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. It is likely that each of us knows a friend, sister, mother, daughter, in-law, or co-worker who has been touched by breast cancer, and this is my primary motivation for engaging in this type of research. It is my hope that the work I perform in the lab will contribute in some way to the scientific community's understanding of breast cancer, and that based on this knowledge we will be able to develop more effective ways of treating the disease in the future.
I have spent the last few years developing cell culture (in vitro) and animal-based (in vivo) model systems in order to study how cancer cells grow. For example, cells that are allowed to grow on a layer of protein and growth factors will develop in a three-dimensional way. The resulting sphere-like structures are similar to the ducts and milk sacs (ascini) found in the human breast, and can even be induced to secrete milk into their hollow centers. Clear differences in molecular signaling are observed between normal and malignant breast epithelial cells grown under these conditions. Oncogene-driven breast cancer cells form larger, filled spheres, and form tumors when injected into the mammary fat pad of mice.
I have used these systems to identify signaling pathways that are essential for tumor cell growth. The three dimensional cell culture and fat pad injection models can be used in conjunction with a unique knock-in transgenic mouse model that mimics the genetic events responsible for a form of spontaneous human breast cancer. These three systems form a platform for testing novel molecularly targeted therapies such as small molecules, siRNAs, and kinase inhibitors that specifically target essential growth and survival-related pathways in breast cancer cells. More specifically, I have been focusing on the role of the Insulin-like growth factor receptor pathway (IGFIR) in oncogene driven tumor formation.
The formation of metastases, or the ability of breast cancer cells to migrate from the primary tumor to a new site within the body, is the underlying cause of death in breast cancer patients. The model systems described above can also be used to answer questions related to cell movement and migration. Questions such as: - What triggers cells from the primary tumor to move?
- What signaling pathways or proteins are important for movement?
- Can we block these processes?
- Can we identify cells that are about to/have moved so that we can target and kill them?
I am currently identifying and characterizing novel molecules that play an important role in breast cancer migration, the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and metastasis. My goal is to identify essential proteins that can be targeted molecularly and/or used as prognostic and diagnostic markers for breast cancer.
Funding Acknowledgment:
I would like to personally thank ReThink Breast Cancer for funding the work that I do. ReThink Breast Cancer is an outstanding Canadian charity that helps young people concerned about or affected by breast cancer through innovative breast cancer education, research and support programs. ReThink Breast Cancer's useful and informative web site can be found here.
URL: http://www.bccrc.ca/mo/people_ctognon.html
The BC Cancer Agency Research Centre is the research arm of the BC Cancer Agency (BCCA),
and is supported by the BC Cancer Foundation.
This page was last modified at 10:06am on December 8, 2008
© 1999-2008.
BC Cancer Agency. All rights reserved.
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