Cancer-associated fibroblast role in responses of lung tumors to radiotherapy and immunotherapy

Big efforts of our research are currently directed towards understanding the impact of ionizing radiation

on the different cell types encountered in solid malignancies, aiming to identify new cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for tumor responses to radiation. We are currently putting emphasis on understanding the role played by tumor-associated fibroblasts in the overall response of tumors to radiation, including direct effects of CAFs on tumor growth, angiogenesis, inflammation and immunity.

Our experimental strategy includes both in vitro functional studies with primary cell cultures, and in vivo approaches in xenograft models. Experiments at the laboratory are performed with freshly resected human tumor cells obtained from resected tumor samples. Our methodology includes a wide range of molecular and cell biological techniques including high-throughput gene and protein profiling, specific gene and protein determination, cell and tissue imaging and functional cell assays. At the in vivo front, the recent acquisition of a pre-clinical image-guided radiation unit will be central in our experimentation, and analyses of xenograft tumors by bioluminescent and/or PET/CT imaging, histology, immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry will constitute complementary methodology.

Contact persons:

Professor Inigo Martinez, inigo.martinez@uit.no, 776 45449/44686.

Senior researcher Turid Hellevik, turid.hellevik@unn.no, 776 26 187.