Today cancer is third cause of death worldwide, while the major cause (more than 90%) of all cancer related deaths is metastasis. There are different methods to detect cancer like blood tests with cancer-specific markers, imaging etc. However, the prediction of metastasis is challenging, not quantitative and not infallible, therefore new rapid and quantitative methods are highly required.
Metastatic invasion through tissue is a critical step in formation of metastases. During the invasion process cancer cells change morphology and apply forces to their surroundings. The internal environment of highly metastatic cells is more dynamic and their cytoskeleton is more sparse than of lowly metastatic and benign cells. The great recovery ability and plasticity of highly invasive metastatic cells is related to the actomyosin contractile apparatus and on actin remodeling. The cytoskeleton machinery mechanisms (i.e. actin network), utilized by metastatic cells for invasion process, have been widely studied and found similar to the involvement of actin cytoskeleton in regulation endocytosis pathways. Actin participates at multiple stages of endocytosis, including membrane invagination, scission and propulsion of the endocytic vesicle.
Nowadays nano-particles are widely used for targeted drug delivery when particles with specific coatings are encapsulated by cancer cells via endocytosis. The detection of endocytosis rate and/or intensity via fluorescent nano-particles, internalized by cells, is simple, fast and quantitative. The aim of the proposed project is to characterize the endocytosis process utilized by cancer cells (with high and low metastatic potential and benign cells); to find preferable by each cell type endocytosis pathway, to find optimal encapsulation conditions (time, concentration etc.). During the project students will study bio-chemical experimental methods, will learn sterile work with cancer cells, will utilize flow-cytometry methods and high-resolution fluorescent imaging, will analyze the obtained results and actively participate in experiments planning. Requirements: high motivation, basic knowledge of cell biology.
Планируется публикация в международных рецензируемых журналах. Планируется выступление на международных конференциях. Результаты работы будут также освещены в СМИ.
Научными руководителями выступят Мерхер Юлия Борисовна, Ph.D., старший научный сотрудник лаборатории разработки инновационных лекарственных средств и агробиотехнологий МФТИ и Леонов Сергей Викторович, Ph.D., M.D., заведующий лабораторией.
Заинтересовавшиеся могут узнать подробности и пройти собеседование, прислав резюме и оставив заявку по электронному адресу: syuliam@gmail.com и leonov.sv@mipt.ru.
Попробовать свои силы можно еще до начала осеннего семестра – желательно как можно раньше!