Overview

Cancer is caused by faulty or damaged genes. Damage to some types of genes, for example the Ras genes, create "oncogenes" which encode proteins which lead to the uncontrolled proliferation characteristic of cancer cells. Other genes, for example the Rb gene, encode proteins which act as the "brakes" on cell proliferation and are often referred to as tumour supressor genes. When undamaged, such genes may counteract the effects of oncogenes, but damaged they can give oncogenes a free rein. A third class of cancer genes is involved in the repair of DNA damaged by carcinogens. Some of these genes encode components of the repair apparatus while others, eg p53, regulate the "checkpoints" that ensure cells do not divide when their DNA is damaged. Much of the research in the Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology focuses on the molecular dissection of cancer genes. We are studying Ras and other small GTPases, effectors of small GTPase signalling such as the Raf family of protein kinases, the tumour supressor genes Rb Tsc1 and Tsc2, and the c-Myb family. Other interests include intracellular signalling by the Wnt gene family, the biochemistry of the enzymes involved in phospholipid signalling, and the way in which cells fold proteins. As well as these studies in basic cancer research, the Section has active programmes in the therapeutic area of Gene Therapy for Cancer.

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Gene Therapy Team

Cancer Research UK Centre for Cell & Molecular Biology
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updated by Kathy Weston 22/02/05